<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Erick Otieno Owuor</b> <span dir="ltr"><a href="mailto:ericotienoss@yahoo.com">ericotienoss@yahoo.com</a></span><br><br><br>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<div>Greetings from Nairobi.<br></div>
<div>The main objectives of PHM are:-</div>
<ul>
<li>To promote the Health for All goal through an equitable, participatory and inter-sectoral movement and as a Rights Issue.
<li>To encourage government and other health agencies to ensure universal access to quality health care, education and social services according to people's needs and not people's ability to pay.
<li>To promote the participation of people and people's organisations in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of all health and social policies and programmes.
<li>To promote health along with equity and sustainable development as top priorities in local, national and international policy making.
<li>To encourage people to develop their own solutions to local health problems.
<li>To hold accountable local authorities, national governments, international organizations and corporations. </li></li></li></li></li></li></ul>
<div> Our activities will not tend to be confrontational; unless need be. The are lobbying strategies that are put in place that will help us to work in collaboration with duty bearers in a friendly and efficient way.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I am deeply grateful that at long last, we have established a team of resource persons (committee members) in Kenya and after a brief consultation with PHM global coordinators, we felt that your inputs will add value not only to PHM Kenya, but to our relevant communities as well. I have copied this message to all stakeholders to share information with one another for the purpose of highlighting the need for the right to health and health care campaign across the country. It is not an easy task, I have to say, but through commitment and determination, we shall make a difference in this nation. I know that this committee will not be just a name...it will have an active attitude!</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Inadequate resources may be a challenge, but with whatever little available resource that we shall receive for the purpose of this campaign work, I hope we will use it in the right way and make a difference with it. Upon your requests, Kaplet will be your fiscal manager. It will maintain <strong>transparency</strong> and <strong>accountability</strong> for whatever resources may be channeled through it. It is, however, the PHM Kenya committee members that shall have the executive powers to approve all resolutions for an action plan and use of any grants that are strictly meant for PHM Kenya. I hope PHM global secretariat, campaign coordinator and other Steering Committee members will <span>assist</span> us. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>In history, very well paid people have never brought real change that the people need. It is volunteers (mostly activists and idealists like us) that have changed the world. There are things that we can not rely on government alone to make the <strong>right to health</strong> a reality. How long shall we stand on the sidelines and watch <strong>diseases of poverty</strong> such as malaria, cholera, HIV/AIDS and TB devastate our communities? How long shall we stand it to watch our brothers and sisters be unlawfully evicted from their homes or land, suffer at displaced people camps in their own country and perish in drug and substance abuse? <strong>Social health related problems</strong> of this kind <strong><em>need social solutions...</em></strong>.not guns and medicines or lawyers and advocates of high courts to solve them! The time has come that we must combine our efforts and move the masses to demand what is rightfully theirs through peaceful means. Above all, <strong>extreme poverty</strong> must be combated. We have to ensure global funds for poverty reductions are channeled to those who really need the funds. It is not easy to fight corruption; because corruption fights back. We all know that activists and idealists have of late proved to be among the endangered species in Kenya. But this will not deter us from moving on. We will apply our muscle on social issues. Let's inject <strong>knowledge</strong> into people's veins; not drugs!</div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong><u>Note:</u></strong> On Sunday August 16 we will hold a strategic planning meeting in Nairobi from 2:00 pm if the committee so agrees. Please, keep time and confirm your attendance.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Should you have any comments or questions, please do not hesitate to ask or to go through the PHM website at: <a href="http://www.phmovement.org/" target="_blank">http://www.phmovement.org</a> Also, those that have not read and or endorsed the <strong>People’s Charter for Health</strong> may do so at: <a href="http://www.phmovement.org/cms/en/resources/charters/peopleshealth" target="_blank">http://www.phmovement.org/cms/en/resources/charters/peopleshealth</a></div>
<div> </div>
<div>In solidarity.<br></div>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="COLOR: green"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Erick Otieno Owuor,</font></span>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="COLOR: green"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Executive Coordinator,</font></span>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="COLOR: green"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Kamukunji Paralegal Trust (KAPLET) and PHM- Kenya Circle</font></span>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="COLOR: green"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Nairobi ,</font></span>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p></p></p></p></p></p></td></tr></tbody></table><br></div><br>