stories from our participants

I was introduced to Hopecore through MedTreks in 2018.  This was my second trip and I am amazed by how much HopeCore has grown in a year.  I enjoy learning from the HopeCore nurses and also providing them with resources so they can improve their delivery of care.  The week in Chogoria gives me a perspective that shifts the way I view my own work as a nurse.  We as a MedTreks team come to teach but in the process, as my heart is moved, I am the student gaining both personal and professional growth.  I appreciate HopeCore so much for allowing us to visit and participate again. It is an outstanding program and I am great full they open up their home to us.  I enjoy the special care the team provides when we visit.  Hopecore has really good drivers and I am so thankful for them.

The overall experience is not something I can get every day. To have this opportunity and see how medicine is practiced will be cherished forever. I think the most amazing part for me was to see the education provided to the communities in and surrounding Chogoria. The HopeCore team does a truly amazing job with this.  MedTreks's ability to manage a diverse group was great and you can see your passion for this partnership each day.

I don’t know if you realize what a special thing MedTreks is or how beautiful the MedTreks / HopeCore relationship is. You’re providing an opportunity for 2 different cultures to share talents and education with each other. The experience is priceless and I can’t wait to return. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You all were so nice and hospitable to us. I appreciate your patience in letting us follow you around the schools, your grace was not overlooked.

You have to experience the magic of what Hopecore delivers to its community, health care, health education, and poverty eradication, a recipe for success.  Kenyan run and sustainable it is an inspiration to be amongst these people who care so very much about their community.  I'm so very grateful for the warmth with which you welcomed us into your community.  I appreciated every day in clinic and allowing me to learn while I was teaching.  I thoroughly enjoyed being tired with you at the end of the day where we saw 42 patients.  I will miss each and every one of you and hope to hear from you about interesting cases on the telehealth program VSSE until I am next able to travel back to Chogoria. With genuine admiration, L.S.

For me, this was a life changing experience, from the way Ari organized our time, to getting to know the fabulous HopeCore staff. I feel grateful and am still basking in the glow of  Kenya. It was an honor to work with the folks at HopeCore. They were welcoming and kind.  I loved their sense of humor and dedication to their patients. I could easily fill up a page with accolades!

"I signed up for this program thinking I was going to be volunteering my time, but instead, I feel like I was given much more than I ever hoped to contribute. I came home feeling re-invigorated about medicine and inspired by the comprehensive approach that Hope Core and MedTreks provides to the community of Chogoria. I gained an indispensable education regarding humanity, communication, and global health"

Training Village Hope Care staff in the Helping Babies Breathe Program was the purpose of my trip, yet only a partial highlight.  A glimpse into the work of Village Hope Care staff demonstrated a strong commitment and passion to the health of the people of Chogoria and its surrounding vicinity.  It was enlightening to learn about the different roles everyone performed to holistically address the health of the people – from their microfinance programs, youth groups and various health clinics.  Time spent in the outreach clinic and school health clinics were the highlights of my trip. I learned so much from working alongside the Village Hope Core staff.  I was humbled by the nursing care and health education they provided – giving compassionate and skilled care with limited resources.   Their joy and compassion was infectious!  The combination of learning and recreational experiences organized by MedTreks provided an experience that I will always remember. 

"During our stay were able to observe and have the opportunity to participate in each facet of HopeCore's approach to philanthropy. We went with the healthcare team on their mobile health clinic to local schools, where we witnessed the following programs: health education, hand washing stations, well child checks and education for mothers and young children. The microenterprise team within HopeCore educated us on their involvement with the local community and were able to join them on home visits to see how their loan program has changed their financial situation and provided them with now a steady income. The level of participation and dedication displayed by the employees at HopeCore was impressive. We had an incredible time with this team and can't wait to see their growth in the future."

"I can only say that MedTreks is amazing. I went to Kenya with them and it was one of the best trips I have ever been on. Everything was well planned and executed. When I had an unexpected need to change plans they were able to make a seamless transition and get me well taken care of. The opportunity to experience another culture's daily life and bring the medical training and supplies to help HopeCore sustain basic health habits, was an honor. MedTreks' goal to provide sustainable practice in community health management is like no other organization."