PROF HASSAN SAIDI EDUCATION MEMORIAL FUND
BIOGRAPHY
Professor was Surgeon and Chairman of the University of Nairobi's Department of Human Anatomy. He was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and passed on in Aug 29, 2017. Saidi Hassan was a teacher, but also a lifelong student, completing a doctorate in surgery from the University of Nairobi. Colleagues said he was not pursuing education for its own sake, but for the opportunity to improve his skills and to acquire knowledge he could share. “He had an idea of impacting others”, said Daniel Ojuka, a lecturer in the University of Nairobi's Department of Surgery. “His interest was in developing people.”
BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION
The Association of Medical Students of the University of Nairobi (hereafter referred to as AMSUN) is a students’ association representing the interests and welfare of the medical students of The University of Nairobi. It is the largest medical students’ organization in Kenya. The AMSUN Leave No Medic Behind initiative (AMSUN-LNMBi) is a program that began in 2017 by the then AMSUN executive and social welfare committee. There was persistently a realization of underprivileged medical students who were finding difficulties in coping with the financial and social capacity required of the six-year university medical training. The ability to meet the student’s portion of Academic fees in itself stood out in their being unable to access the examination process at the university despite their being very talented and indeed academically endowed in the nation state.
Kenya Medical Association (KMA) has been instrumental in helping the Leave No Medic Behind Initiative acquire a legal recognition under the label of Prof. Hassan Saidi Education Memorial Fund. This was named in honor of the late Chair of the Department of Human Anatomy under the School of Medicine (UoN) and also the Associate Dean, Pre-Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine (UoN) whose selfless contribution to the department stands historic and inimitable. Thus, all donations are housed by the KMA.
OUR ROLE
Beginning this year as the Annals of African Surgery editorial team we target to raise funds to sponsor one medical student (USD 650).
SUCCESS STORIES AND TESTIMONIALS OF THE PROGRAM
GRATEFUL TO LEAVE NO MEDIC AND PROF HASSAN SAIDI MEMORIAL FUND
My name is Mutua Victor, just completed level 6 MBChB at the University of Nairobi. Although the journey was worth it, at the same time it wasn’t easy. I come from a family of 5 children, raised by a single parent. My father was deceased in 2011 when I was about to sit for my form 4 exams. Unfortunately, I was not able to be admitted as a government sponsored in medicine, so I had to register as self-sponsored student. My mother is a primary school teacher. Her salary alone couldn’t support my school fees (ksh 469,500 per annum), so she was forced to constantly apply for loans, seek financial help from relatives, friends and sometimes had to do fund raising events in order to pay my tuition fees. At a personal level, I’ve always worked hard to support my upkeep. I have been doing online writing and working as a demonstrator/teaching assistant at department of anatomy in order to lessen the burden for my family to support both my tuition fees and upkeep money. Following covid-19 pandemic and other factors, it became extremely hard getting financial support from friends and relatives who used to help. At that time, I was in 5th year. It was definitely the worst period of my undergraduate journey. By God’s grace, through Dr Chokwe and Leave no medic (Prof. Hassan Saidi Educational Memorial Fund) I was able to clear my 5th year arrears. If it were not for them I don’t think I would’ve been sit my 5th year exams. I’ll forever be indebted to you.
LETTER OF APPRECIATION TO THE LNMB COMMITTEE
My name is Dorine Odenyo and I am a level 4 MBChB student. Let me start by saying that being in medical school had led me to understand that we all come from different backgrounds and that many if not all of us have experienced specific ups and down that we may encounter as we join medical school or in the midst of medical school life. Personally, I had issues in raising my school fees and even upkeep. But I thank God for UoN fraternity more so the LNMB committee for coming up with an organization that actually considered and by all means tried all efforts to ensure that they provide support to such students with an aim of ensuring that their dreams of becoming a medical doctor is not interrupted by any challenges or uncertainties that we encounter in this medical school journey. Being one of the beneficiaries of LNMB, I want to take this opportunity to appreciate them for their overwhelming timely support towards my upkeep and my prayer is that May God bless you and enable you to continue with the same spirit in assisting other students who may also have similar issues like mine. I am eternally grateful.
TO CONTRIBUTE
You can be a part of this initiative by contributing towards it using the link below.
(Indicate that the amount donated is for the Leave No Medic Behind Initiative).
