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home > outreach > aim for africa kenya
AIM FOR AFRICA KENYA
 A
partnership between the University of Florida Center for the Arts in Healthcare
(CAHRE), Shands Arts in Medicine (AIM), and the Mater Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya,
AIM for Africa has established the first formal Arts in Medicine program in East
Africa, and includes artists exchanges, cultural events, medical student mission
trips to Africa, related coursework at UF, and training in the arts in healthcare
clinical practice for artists in Africa and the U.S.
CULTURAL EXCHANGES
The AIM for Africa project hosts annual exchanges between Kenya and Florida
that allow renowned artists to share the cultural traditions of Africa
and the U.S. The project’s first cultural exchange brought Kenyan
singer/songwriter Suzanna Owiyo to Florida in July of 2006. During
her visit Suzanna performed throughout North Florida and worked with
patients at Shands Hospitals in Gainesville and Jacksonville. In
October of 2006, American modern dancer Jill Sonke-Henderson and American
artist and craftswoman Madeline Austin will travel to Nairobi, Kenya
to present cultural events in the city and to help launch the Mater Hospital’s
new Arts in Medicine program.
+ Kenyan artists’ residency at UF
+ CAHRE artists’ residencies in Nairobi
THE MATER ARTS IN MEDICINE PROGRAM
Established through the AIM for Africa Cultural Exchange project in 2006
and modeled after the Shands Arts in Medicine program at the University
of Florida, the Mater Arts in Medicine program brings the arts to patients,
caregivers, and the Nairobi community. Mater’s CEO, Medical Director,
and Arts in Medicine Coordinator work together
with Artist in Residence, Suzanna Owiyo, and a host of volunteer artists
and performers to enhance the medical experience of patients and caregivers
through music, dance, the visual arts, writing, and theatre. For
information about the Mater Arts in Medicine program, including volunteer
opportunities and financial contributions, contact Winnie Njenga at Winnie@materkenya.com
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
The AIM Together Africa project has spurred the implementation of Culture,
Health, and the Arts: Sub- Saharan Africa and the U.S., a new course at
the University of Florida.
The course explores the roles of culture and the arts in healthcare in
these diverse nations and includes a live web-based open classroom interface
between UF and Mater Hospital. For more information, Fine Arts students
may contact Jill Sonke-Henderson at jsonke@ufl.edu,
and medical students may contact Nina Stoyan-Rosensweig at
nstoyan@vpha.health.ufl.edu
 Drs. Benson Njoroge and Nicholas Gkonyo of Kenyatta University discuss herbal medicine in Kenya with the class in February 2008. Photo by Sarah Keiwel, University of Florida Health Science Center.
Each year, one to three artists and caregivers from Nairobi are also offered
scholarships to CAHRE’s Arts in Healthcare Summer Intensive training
program.
MEDICAL SERVICE TRIPS
Through the University of Florida College of Medicine and Medical Humanities
program, month-long externships to Nairobi are available to forth year
medical students and shorter medical missions are available to other
medical students annually. For more information about travel
opportunities for medical students, contact Nina Stoyan-Rosensweig at nstoyan@vpha.health.ufl.edu
Members of UF’s Pre-Med AMSA program also make annual medical missions
trips to Nairobi and undertake fundraising efforts that support the Artists
in Residence program at the Mater Hospital. For more information
about Pre-Med AMSA and AIM for Africa, contact Sasha Strull at ssoccer7@ufl.edu
The program is with support from:
- UF Center for World Arts
- UF College of Medicine and Medical Humanity Program
   
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