Photo: "My right hand was chopped, however thanks to global friends, my hope and dignity is restored".
 
A story demonstrating Rotarians are People of Action and the value of Rotary Connections. 
 
On December 1, 2022, Kenya’s Nation Media newspaper reporter K. Kazungu wrote a story on Fridah, a woman whose arm was severed, with a cry for assistance. Fridah exclaimed: “I gave this man my love, he chopped off my arm”.  Fridah is a domestic violence survivor from far West Lamu, Kenya, and was in dire need of a prosthetic hand to regain her sense of life’s worth.  A Rotarian from the Rotary Club of EL Cajon Sunset picked up Fridah’s story from halfway around the world through the Nation Media newspaper online.  
 
“Fridah’s story and cry for help really touched me,” Richard Makau, club president reports as he swung into action to assist Fridah with support of the Rotary Club of El Cajon Sunset and his club's Rotary network of friends. He traced Fridah through Mr. Kazungu and contacted LN4 Hand Project, a California organization that provides prosthetic hands to people in need around the world.  
 
LN4 Hand Project agreed to provide a prosthetic hand to Fridah. Makau then contacted Kenya LN4 Hand Project ambassador, Rotarian Dr. Mussadiq Mir (Rtd, Aga Khan hospital) and a member of the Nairobi Utumishi Rotary Club, who organized funding from the Nairobi Rotary club to bring Frida to Nairobi from West Lamu for a gift of life of a prosthetic hand.  Dr. Mir did a great job in outfitting Fridah with a prosthetic hand and brought a big smile back to Fridah.  
 
Fridah now is enjoying things that were savagely snatched away during a domestic violence encounter. She can write, hold a spoon, brush her teeth and, hopefully, will regain employment soon to support her and her children.  While there is no joy in domestic violence acts, the Rotary Club of El Cajon Sunset is grateful that through Dr. Mir and the imagination of Rotary, Fridah now has gained most of her freedom back.   Dr. Mir shared, “watching Fridah’s big smile at the end of the process and realizing how we got connected, it’s can only be seen as a Rotary miracle”!
    
Makau is thankful to LN4 Hand Project, Dr. Mir, Cyrus and Mr. Kazungu for collaborating together online to answer Fridah’s cry. Honesty, technology and prayer have made a difference in Fridah’s life. She is now able to feed her children and is grateful that there is still hope and kind people in a chaotic world. Thanks to Nation Media, LN4 Hand Project and Rotary.
 
If you would like to assist Fridah, please contact Richard Makau at erafiki2003@aol.com
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Representing another Rotary Connection, the Rotary Club of El Cajon Sunset also received a donation of two new wheelchairs from the Rotary Club of San Diego South Bay to be delivered to needy beneficiaries in Kenya.