Rotarian Eilif Torma was born in Norway, but he considers Kenya his adopted homeland, so much so that he’s helped secure funding for a maternity ward there.

Through his friendships with members of the Rotary Club of Røa, Norway, Torma was instrumental in getting the club to donate US$18,205 to construct the ward at the Diani Dispensary in Ukunda, which treats around 800 patients a day. Before it was built, women in the impoverished village had to travel 30 minutes by bus to reach the nearest maternal health care facility.

Torma and his fellow Rotary Club of Diani members contributed $26,906 to the project, hired contractors, supervised construction, and ordered equipment and supplies, including six beds, a delivery table, kitchen equipment, and linens. District 9200 Governor Chris Mutalya inaugurated the facility on 12 July.

“The Ministry of Health in Kenya is trying to encourage mothers to go to maternity facilities like the one in Ukunda to reduce the number of childbirth complications,” says Diani club member Tim Jensz. For every 1,000 births, 79 children under the age of one die in Kenya, compared with 3 in Norway, according to 2005 statistics compiled by UNICEF.