Spearheading a Groundbreaking Healthcare Revolution: Fair Future Foundation’s Comprehensive Anti-Malaria Program in East Sumba, Indonesia
Unveiling a Multi-Faceted, Community-Centric Approach to Combatting the Persistent Scourge of Malaria
The Anti-Malaria Crusade in East Sumba: A Tale of Resilience, Innovation, and Humanity
Hello, this is Alex Wettstein, the founder of Fair Future. I’m thrilled to share with you the gargantuan effort we’ve embarked upon from our socio-medical base camp, Rumah Kambera, in Lambanapu, East Sumba.
A Journey Years in the Making: What we’re undertaking is nothing short of a revolution in healthcare access and quality for some of the most vulnerable communities on the planet. In East Sumba, malaria isn’t just a disease; it’s a social injustice that we can no longer afford to ignore. In coordination with Kawan Baik, Sumba Volunteer, and local authorities, we’ve launched an extensive anti-malaria program.
The Groundwork: A Three-Month Strategy for Multi-Year Impact: Three months. That’s the time we’ve invested in meticulously planning a project designed for a span of at least two years—potentially even more, based on the effectiveness of our interventions. Ayu, Director of Kawan Baik, joins me alongside a dedicated team of a hundred people, including 60 volunteers. We’re tackling the endemic issue of malaria here, in one of the most hard-hit regions globally.
Partnerships that Empower: Synchronicity is critical in missions as complex as this. Alland from Sumba Volunteer and Ino from Kawan Baik are the linchpins holding the intricate mechanism of our coordination efforts together. The medical coordination falls under the expertise of Dr. Aleks, Narni, and Aldo—a trio whose combined experience promises rigorous implementation of our medical strategy.
More Than Medical Intervention – Serving as a Lifeline to Communities: Our work goes beyond the confines of traditional medical care—it’s an integrated approach aimed at safeguarding the health and well-being of tens of thousands. We direct our focus, particularly towards the community’s most vulnerable members, who are at the most significant risk from the ravages of this debilitating disease.
The Backbone: Logistics and Supplies: Imagine this: Over ten tons of critical medical supplies landing in East Sumba. The logistics are mind-boggling but essential. From 10,000 rapid malaria testing kits to Olympus microscopes, from 4×4 off-road vehicles to all-terrain motorcycles, every piece of equipment plays a crucial role in the jigsaw puzzle of this mission.
The Imperative of Early Diagnosis and Effective Treatment: This initiative isn’t just about numbers or logistics. It’s about human lives. Early diagnosis and effective treatment are the cornerstones of our program, saving lives that would otherwise be lost. Each diagnosed case triggers an immediate medical response tailored to individual needs.
Skill Building and Capacity Enhancement: Equally crucial is the empowerment of local communities through education. We’re implementing Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) techniques, and we’ve conducted extensive training to ensure that each spray hits its mark and curtails the spread of malaria.
Sustaining the Troops: Life in the Field: It’s not all high-tech and medical jargon; it’s also about the raw human effort. Feeding a team of 100 people during a ten-day field operation involves a logistical ballet, ranging from food supplies to essential vitamins, ensuring our team can operate at peak performance.
“This mission is as much a pact with humanity as it is a medical intervention. We don’t have the luxury of failure; lives are hanging in the balance,” asserts Alex Wettstein, Founder and President of Fair Future.
We’re not just fighting malaria but challenging the status quo, breaking barriers, and setting new benchmarks in community healthcare. Our work has only begun, and we won’t rest until our mission to eradicate malaria is realized.
If our mission compels you, your support is invaluable. Monetary donations are more than just funds; they’re contributions to a future where healthcare is a right, not a privilege. By the way, Kawan, feel free to take a visual journey through our work by checking out our photo gallery and Instagram updates.
Alex Wettstein – Fair Future Foundation medico-social camp in East Sumba – Rumah Kambera, Lambanapu, September 30th, 2023.
#ZeroMalaria Sumba Timur
Preparation of equipment and all medical supplies – Images taken by the Fair Future team
In collaboration with Kawan Baik and Sumba Volunteer, Fair Future launched a comprehensive anti-malaria program targeting vulnerable communities in rural Southeast Asia. Our focus is on prevention, early diagnosis, and effective treatment.
We are not just fighting a disease; we are fighting for the future of communities that have been ignored for too long. This comprehensive anti-malaria program is not just a medical initiative; it’s a social contract we’re honoured to uphold.
To answer the call to combat malaria in Indonesia’s Sumba East region, we have developed a comprehensive and ambitious program. I’m Alex, the founder of Fair Future. I want to share the Herculean effort we’ve undertaken at our socio-medical base camp, Rumah Kambera, in Lambanapu, East Sumba.
Mobilization and Preparation: Three months—the time it took to prepare for this crucial mission that will span over two years, possibly more depending on the impact of our initiatives in reducing cases in the region. A hundred people, including myself and Ayu, the Director of Kawan Baik, are working day and night in East Sumba to make this project a reality. Understand that the disease here is endemic; the region is one of the most affected in the world regarding both case numbers and mortality. These are circumstances requiring immediate action and high-level coordination.
Collaboration and Coordination: We at Fair Future have joined forces with Kawan Baik and Sumba Volunteer for this mission. Alland for Sumba Volunteer and Ino for Kawan Baik oversee overall coordination. The medical trio of Dr. Aleks, Narni, and Aldo ensures the medical coordination of the entire operation.
Target and Scope: Our teams are responsible for the medical care of a population of tens of thousands of people over several years. We are focusing on vulnerable communities, the people most likely to contract this deadly disease.
Logistics and Equipment: Imagine the arrival of more than ten tons of equipment. These are 10,000 rapid malaria testing kits, four Olympus binocular microscopes, four electric generators, and twenty 180-litre medicine containers. Not to forget the 2,000 litres of diesel fuel needed to power these generators. The picture is complete with a fleet of over ten 4×4 logistical vehicles on the ground, two trucks, and a dozen all-terrain motorcycles.
Diagnosis and Treatment: One of the most critical aspects of this project is the development of early diagnosis and effective treatment of malaria. Blood draw tests have been conducted, and our microscopes are ready to detect positive cases. Once diagnosed, patients are immediately taken care of with specially prepared medical treatments.
Training and Education: Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) is one method we employ. Practical exercises on the IRS have been organized to ensure its efficacy. Equipment has been distributed to volunteers, and tests have been carried out to ensure they function correctly.
Provisions and Life on the Ground: Let’s not forget that feeding a team of a hundred people for ten days in the wilderness is an operation. It takes 350 kilograms of rice, one ton of vegetables, 5,000 eggs, 15 kilograms of coffee, 3 kilograms of tea, 30 kilograms of sugar, 50 kilograms of fish, 200 kilograms of pre-cooked (smoked by our logistics teams) chickens, and 3,000 various vitamin tablets.
All of this to say: “This is not a task for the faint-hearted. But when it comes to saving lives, we never falter. We do what must be done because the future of an entire population depends on it,” declares Alex Wettstein, Founder and President of Fair Future.
We are committed to this fight against malaria, not as a choice but as a moral obligation to humanity. And we will not stop until the mission is accomplished.
For those who are interested in supporting our mission, we are urgently in need of funding to continue our impactful programs. Your donations directly contribute to vital medical conditions and are instrumental in achieving our long-term goals.
We invite all interested individuals to view the photo gallery illustrating this exceptional work and to learn more on our Instagram account.
Alex Wettstein – Fair Future Foundation medico-social camp in East Sumba – Rumah Kambera, Lambanapu – The September 30th, 2023.
