Bonyo's Kenya Mission
Changing the world one life at a time
Our History
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For more than 20 years, Bonyo’s Kenya Mission has provided medical treatment to thousands of patients in the village of Wanjaya and its surrounding communities. 70% of the population lacks access to healthcare in this underserved area. Chronic malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, parasitic illness, and other tropical diseases are just a few of the many life threatening diseases face here.
In 1995, a group of thirteen medical students from Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine (OU-COM) and Ohio State University, traveled to western Kenya as part of the SHARE (Student Health Assistance Rural Experience) Kenya program.
Dr. Bonyo Bonyo, one of those medical students, started the program ass a way to give back to the community- Wangaya- where he was born and raised. Dr. Bonyo's attending physician at the time, Dr. Daniel Marazon, joined the program in 1997. Spine surgeon Dr. Barry Greenberg, also an attending for Dr. Bonyo while he was a resident physician at Summa Health System, joined the team in 2003 and lead the group with Dr. Bonyo until 2014.
They shared a common dream: to improve the health care for those in need in this poverty stricken area.
There were many obstacles they had to overcome to bring this dream to life, however. Up until the mid-aught's, patients were seen in make shift clinics. They had to truck in supplies on a daily basis. They had no solid facilities on which they could rely. That began to change in 2005 when, through private donations, they started construction of a permanent, physical clinic along with a clean water well dug for the village.
The next year they opened a 6,000 sq. ft facility, named the Mama Pilista Bonyo Health Centre in memory of Dr. Bonyo's mother. Now permanent staff run the health centre 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Three times a year Dr. Bonyo leads a team of medical students from Kansas City University Medical School along with volunteers from all over the United States to provide medical services, resources, and many other kinds of assistance to the people of Wangaya. The volunteers collect and donate medical supplies, medication, clothing, school supplies, sunglasses, prescription glasses, sanitary napkins, soccer shoes, and also monetary donations. The clinic, which is also registered to conduct HIV/ TB treatment, currently serves almost 300 HIV patients, providing them with HIV medication and a weekly support group.
Through our Child Sponsorship Program, Bonyo’s Kenya Mission also assists vulnerable children, especially orphans, of the village of Wangaya with their educational fees. The child sponsorship program has helped hundreds children pursue their education until they complete college or trade school. Dr. Sandra Deveny, Molly Garland, and Maggie Deveny have headed the child sponsorship committee since 2008, working diligently to attract volunteers and raise funding.
The spirit of Bonyo's Kenya Mission lives strong and continues to grow and thrive. If you would like to join us help these wonderful people in need, we would welcome you with open arms!