About Slum Doctor Programme

 

Tim Costello founded the Slum Doctor Programme in memory of the AIDS activists whom, had they lived, would have fought for medicine, education and dignity for all people living with HIV/AIDS in the world; and for the unsung heroes across the globe who are trying to improve the lives of their fellow country men, women, and children impacted by HIV/AIDS.


Tim met Dr. Obwogo Subiri at the International AIDS Conference in South Africa in 2000 and Slum Doctor Programme began shipping donated antiretroviral medications and medical supplies for Dr. Subiri's patients from the slums of Nairobi, Kenya.  Dr. Subiri suggested Slum Doctor Programme as a name for our organization, which we adopted in the spirit of our guiding principle of working with African partners in a spirit of equity and respect to build long-term relationships.  This partnership between a few individuals in Bellingham, Washington and individuals suffering from AIDS in the slums of Nairobi resulted in what is now the Hope Center for Infectious Diseases the largest free HIV/AIDS clinic in Kenya, providing care for over 9,000 patients annually.

In additon to the partnership with the Hope Center, Slum Doctor Programme partners with other local organizations that focus on the social consequences of the AIDS epidemic: food security, care for orphans and vulnerable children, education and income generation.

Paul Barkley became the Executive Director of Slum Doctor Programme in October 2010.  Paul brings many years of experience with community development in Africa, including work with the Uganda National Parks, Uganda Forest Department, Uganda Department of Agriculture, Uganda National Cycling Team and many community based organizations in Uganda and Kenya. He is a Certified Public Accountant specializing in business financial planning, agriculture processing and nonprofit sectors. 

Slum Doctor Programme fulfills it's mission of improving the lives of those who have been impacted by HIV/AIDS by linking local African organizations with individuals and funding organizations through three initiatives.  The first initiative is to provide an online Information, Communication, Technology system for use by the partners in Africa.  Second is a capacity building program to improve the management and accounting skills of the African Partners.  And third is a Global AIDS Education program where the African partners educate us in America about how HIV/AIDS impacts their community, how they they designed their programs to assist those in their community that have been impacted by HIV/AIDS, and how we can help them. 

Slum Doctor Programme believes that a respectful and reciprocal relationship with our African partners is key to successful community development and social change. We work closely with our partners sharing our strengths, our joys and our sorrows. 

Staff

Paul Barkley, Executive Director

2010 Board of Directors

President: Sam Woodcock
Pete Beglin, MD
Takele Seda, PhD
Robert Riestra

Advisory Board

Loyce Ong'udi, MPA
Loyce works to create sustainable community development programs in her home village and the surrounding area. Loyce founded Rabuor Village Project with a vision to combat HIV/AIDS and the resulting hardships through community-based solutions driven by the ingenuity and strength of local people.   She is a Truman Scholar and an advisory board member of the University of Washington’s Global Health Resource Center, and has spoken at dozens of meetings and events in the US and abroad on the effects of HIV/AIDS in African communities and community-based responses to HIV/AIDS. Loyce's relentless hope and commitment have vastly improved the lives in Rabuor Village, and it is her hope to replicate the success of these efforts in other similar communities in the future.

Michael Chung, MD, MPH
A University of Washington Faculty in Infectious Diseases, Michael is currently the director of the Hope Center for Infectious Diseases in Nairobi. Dr. Chung has worked in developing countries for over 10 years, including treating Rwandan refugees in the camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He has received numerous awards including awards from the Rockefeller Foundation, National Institutes of Health and PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief).

Dr. Obwogo Subiri, MPH, MD
Dr. Subiri is an author and doctor in Kenya. Dr. Subiri is currently the country director for HIV/AIDS programs for Catholic Relief Services, and is running for Parliament. Dr. Subiri was the original inspiration for Slum Doctor Programme and suggested our organization’s name.