Provision Charitable Foundation

1958

Dr Louise Jilek-Aall ('Dr. Louise') first goes to Tanganyika ( now Tanzania) to study tropical diseases and through her work at the Catholic medical station at Mahenge in the Morogoro mountains of southern Tanzania realizes that the level of epilepsy in the area is ten to fifteen times the normal level. She comes to this realization after following up with badly burned patients. The reason they are so badly burned is that when they had a seizure and fell into a cooking fire people were so afraid of epilepsy they would run away and leave them in the fire. Dr. Louise then begins the process of education and the search for a solution.
 

1960

Dr Louise forms the Mahenge epileptic clinic and begins her life long committment to the epileptic people of the East Africa and the Mahenge area in particular. She arranged for medication herself until the clinic was taken over by the Tanzanian government.

 

1960 to 2009

Dr. Louise dedicates herself to education of the people as to the cause of epilepsy and also to developing world wide interest in moving toward a solution to these problems. In 1992 she organized a research project from Canada and brought a team of researchers from the University of British Columbia. During this period significant other research projects were also undertaken by international researchers and the treatment of epileptics improved greatly, largely inspired by Louise.

Equally importantly during this period Louise concentrated on education as the native people considered epilepsy to be a form of demon possession and any epileptic was considered useless. Due to her efforts during this period a large portion of the general population was educated and it is now widely understood to be a disease that responds to medical treatment.

 

2009

Ken and Nancy Morrison, inspired by Dr. Louise's dedication, travel to Tanzania with Dr. Louise and her daughter Martica. After visiting the clinic and the epileptics all parties agree that the next stage of education is to show that treated epileptics can work well and consistently.

The employment project begins. Ten treated epileptics are employed initially to be involved in gardening and reforestation. They are paid a market salary and are expected to work a full day. (The project has continued into 2013 and the standard of living, the status in the community and the self esteem of the people have all improved dramatically.)

 

2011

The community of Mahenge and the school had a desperate need for a vehicle that could serve both the school and the community in a multitude of ways, including as a community ambulance. The school arranged with a catholic charity in Europe to pay for one half the cost if the other half could be raised. Clients of Provision Accounting Group contributed $ 36,000 over a few months and the vehicle was delivered in September 2011.

 

Ken and Nancy Morrison travel to Tanzania for a second time to review results of the first two years of the employment program and to discuss other needs that could be addressed. Education becomes a clear focus and two university students are supported, one to receive an education degree and the other business degree.

 

(In 2013, Ken and Garth celebrated the graduation of the education student, Sister Anunsiata who begins teaching in rural Tanzania.)

 

2012

Provision Charitable Foundation (Provision) is incorporated and registered as a fully registered Canadian charitable organization in order to move ahead on new projects such as supporting epileptic workers and educating medical students in Tanzania.

The Dr Louise Jilek-Aall medical student support program is established to assist medical students who may be forced to drop out of medical school due to financial constraints. The program is limited to native Tanzanians attending medical school in Tanzania.

The first four medical students at St Francis University in Ifakara, Tanzania are selected and supported

 

2013

Ken Morrison and Garth Drummond meet with the university staff at St Francis University and the number of supported medical students is increased to nine for the 2013/2014 academic year. The support is continued for the business degree student in her last year and a student in a diploma program to become a radiology technician is supported for the first time.

 

 

2014

Julliana spent 3 months in Mahenge building water wells to make irrigation and access obtainable, as well as decrease the risks of drowning for our epilepsy patients. 

 

2015

Ken and Nancy were delighted to attend the graduation of our first three medical students in November! Proving we had created a successful program in Ifakara by investing in exceptional students. Three more students will now be be enrolled. On the same November visit, Garth started to explore the Tanzanian dental industry, and plans to assist in the improvement of training and equipment in the near future. Earlier in the year, Maureen & Ruth visited to assist with project management.