Greetings from TORU…..Steve, Ruth, Sila, Dorcus, Julius, Pius, Peter, Christine, Catherine, Josephine, Joseph, Daniel, Musyoki, Kiminza, Mwololo. Everyone is 'pushing on', as is colloquially said in Kenya. A new addition to staff is Peter who has been working at Manyanga clinic, Kibwezi…..he is about to graduate from the Abha Light Foundation (ALF) College of Homeopathy and Natural Medicine. Joseph the homeopath based at Manyanga for a year until October last year, took the opportunity presented by Abha Light Foundation to practise in Ghana. We hear he is getting on well. Julius and Dorcus, both practising at Kambi-Mawe (KM) clinic near Wote,, are 'married', which means they are in the process of formalising traditional 'tying of the knot' procedures. TORU is steadily progressing. After a lull (and a bit of a breather for staff!) in the latter part of last year, patient numbers are on the increase as maize harvests have been plentiful for the first time this century. 0ne gets the sense that people have heard of us and been in mind to seek treatment. Now cash is available from selling maize. We are in the midst of a much-needed focus on what Toru 'is', and where it is going as an organisation. Sonia, a Homeopath from Ireland, currently living in Nairobi, is directing the brainstorming of our values, vision and structure of Toru. It is proving to be an interesting process. The core of Toru is the 'mother' clinic at Manyanga, Kibwezi, along with the other full-time clinic at KM near Wote (situated about 80kms from Kibwezi). These 2 clinics will remain the core. Between the 2 they have attracted over 15,000 patients. Beyond this full-on homeopathic activity, there are currently 4 mobile clinics visiting different areas on a monthly basis. The ones at Nthunguni and Katangini have been operating over a year now, and seem to have levelled off in terms of numbers. Their catchment areas are proving to be small due to limited accessibility by public transport. Though to give us credit(!) it is fair to assume that the drop in patient attendance is a result of homeopathy increasing the level of health in the immediate community. These 2 clinics look destined to remain monthly 1-2 day satellite mobiles visited by homeopaths from Manyanga or KM, or freelance homeopaths employed for the period. Another mobile clinic has been in operation at Kimundi for the past 4 months. This has seen 90-100 patients turning up over 2 days. Kimundi is only 30 km from KM clinic, but may have potential to become a permanent presence staffed by a single homeopath. Other satellite clinics are 'in the offing' around KM clinic. The 4th mobile started last month at Kyale, also situated in Ukambani ( the geographical area we live and work in populated by Mkamba ethnic group). It is a densely populated rural area towards Nairobi, 17km off Mombasa highway, accessed by good tarmac road with plenty of matatus (PSV's). Sila's parents originate from this area, it is birth place of 2 of our lab techs Christine and Prisca (they are sisters) . We can hope for the mobile to evolve into a permanent clinic, one with a certain independent set-up, with a devolved management from Toru….perhaps a kind of franchise. Toru aims to be facilitating set-up of Kenyan homeopaths managing their own clinics. Financially, TORU has had a lean time over the past 6 months…pesa (money) has been tight. TORU primarily sustains itself from patient income, and juggling the income and expenditures has latterly been more headache than pleasure. Salaries are now reasonable, (but will improve…included in our 'process' is salary structuring), but to cover all everyday costs we need ample numbers of our (low-charged) patients. The patient daily average at Manyanga peaked at 33 about 18 months ago. Now both Manyanga and KM each receive on average 15-20 patients daily. Numbers are increasing again so we look forward to greater financial breathing space. From 1ST May 2007 we will increase the charge for new patients attending the permanent clinics from 200ksh to 250ksh (about £1.80). The last such new patient charge increase was in Jan 2004! Our philosophy will remain to be affordable. In terms of practice, as Toru enters its 5th year in action, we are now becoming an established long term 1st choice clinic for people. We have the regulars attending every month (the more intractable, challenging and frustrating cases). Some will get re-infections of malaria, amoeba etc so return within a year. Other patients can come once, then we find them returning for their 'follow-up' 2 years later! Some will have been well, others may have sought medicine from 'chemists', or more local clinics, others sadly will have stayed away due to lack of funds. Their files may languish in our filing cabinets, forgotten by practitioners, but these patients do come back…and tell others about us. Patients continue to do well overall…..it must be so, otherwise our popularity (developed solely through word-of-mouth) would falter. We have close relations with ALF, enjoying liaison, and mutual support. The ALF COLLEGE is critical in spawning the Kenyan homeopaths, to be actively practising, and developing the TORU programme. We have been hosting and supervising students from ALF College, with our appreciation due to SHEAF, who have kindly funded the additional daily student costs.. Both Manyanga and KM clinics are having an increasing amount of input from other homeopaths helping on a freelance/ voluntary basis. Apart from independent ALF trained Homs, there are other overseas Homs now based in Kenya who can get good practice opportunities with us. Their presence helps us to see a bigger homeopathic practise picture, an added stimuli to assimilate into our own methodologies and approaches particular to our rural Kenyan situation. Besides this input, homeopathy volunteers from all parts of the world have been visiting us on and off, practising with us via the ALF Volunteer Programme, and again, we can have a good dialogue and exchange of ideas in practising together. At Manyanga clinic, Ruth has instigated further building work at the rear of her plot. 6 rooms are being constructed, 3 of which are earmarked for use by visiting homeopaths and students, incorporating some extra facilities and privacy. KM continues to enjoy piped water. A big thanks to SHEAF for funding the installation and purchase costs of tank and pipes, sink etc. The supply from the borehole can be erratic, so the tank is always kept topped up when water is piping up alongside the clinic. The new big opportunity for KM is establishment of an electricity supply. Kenya Power and Lighting Co are installing a line alongside the main Wote- Makindu road passing right by KM, and they are offering connection at a discounted price under the Rural Electrification Scheme for those properties who can pay connection charges quickly. With regard to this application for power, TORU has put in a bid to SHEAF for a donation to cover the cost of immediate connection. The long term plan for KM is to secure funding for a brand new purpose-built Homeopathy and Alternative Health Centre to be constructed on the same Community-owned plot, but separate from the Dispensary Buildings TORU currently occupies. This would be a big venture consolidating the thriving presence TORU has established there. The clinic's future development looks even more positive considering the completion( within the next year) of the major overhaul, with tarmac, of the main Makindu - Wote road.The clinic straddles this road. Accessibility by public transport will be greatly enhanced, consequently the catchment area for patients will increase. TORU has grown, and grows, and is growing up. There is need for evaluation of what we are achieving, and for this good work to be disseminated into the homeopathic and wider world. A case audit is needed. Research is needed. We are interested in working with ALF researching into the efficacy of treating Malaria with Homeopathy. There is a need for people with skills in audit procedures and research to be applied within the homeopathic context. So we would welcome any Homeopaths or Homeopathy students who could give their time and energy to help out with these tasks. We also need to be securing the funding for the new KM building, so we are on the look- out for channels to pursue. 'Asante' to all involved with TORU.

The Toru Health Centre, started by Steve Smith (UK) in 2003, is a very active clinic seeing about 30 patients daily. The clinic treats mainly with homeopathy and has lab services. Located on the main Nairobi-Mombasa highway it is able to serve the surrounding rural area as well as many who come long distances for treatment. The clinic treats all patients at low cost. Sila Mweleli sees a patient. Steve in the pharmacy. Ruth, clinic manager with Sila. Patients queuing. Steve & Ruth on a mobile clinic

how to find us:
tel.(+254) 0721-386961