Melissa and Cynthia McKinney playing with the children of the fistula women.

February doctors included Tim McKinney, Julianne Newcomer, Lori Berkowitz, Clifford Wheeless, Ed Blumenstock, Michael Conley, Barbara Wiseman and Emad Hashemi.

In addition to the doctors, Martha Conley (wife of Michael), and Melissa and Cynthia McKinney (daughters of Tim McKinney) joined our group in Niamey. While the doctors were operating, Martha was busy visiting schools, playing and teaching the children in the Fistula courtyard, and teaching beading to the fistula women. Martha was a tremendous help to us - and we look forward to her return to Niger.

Cynthia McKinney had raised funds at home in New Jersey in order to purchase treated mosquito nets. Both she and her sister Melissa joined IOWD at CES Rive Droite High School when we presented the English Club students with hundreds of mosquito nets. This was the beginning of our Malaria Prevention Program. Using CES Rive Droite as a model school program, we hope to expand this prevention project with an educational program and more nets for students in other schools in Niamey.

The English Club students were very happy to have the opportunity to meet and talk with the American teenagers. And it was the first time for the McKinney girls to have this extraordinary experience in Africa!

Dr. Julianne Newcomes writing the day's operating schedules.

IOWD encourages our readers to inform your own children or students in local schools to engage in fund raising to buy more treated mosquito nets for our students in Niger. It has been proven that using treated nets over a bed greatly reduces the chance of getting bitten by an infected mosquito. In Niger, malaria kills more people than does HIV/AIDS!!!! Each net costs $4 - as much as a double cup of ice cream here. But a net can save a life......

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