With the non-profit organization Global Resource Alliance (GRA), Dr. Muir has made several trips to Tanzania (East Africa). GRA funds programs for
in the Mara Region of Tanzania i.e. Musoma and Kinesi. "Mosquito netting" the village of Kinesi which sits on the edge of Lake Victoria has been a major goal. Most women in this village of 5,000 have had at least one child die from the disease. The GRA BUZZ-OFF campaign has helped provide nets to almost half of the villagers. (fig 1)
Currently, all water used for drinking, cooking, bathing and washing clothes in Kinesi comes from Lake Victoria. Major contaminants are filtered through cloth; wood or charcoal for boiling water is too expensive. Of course, water borne diseases are rampant. GRA has recently dug a well (fig 2) that will provide clean water to the village. The next objective is to purchase a pump to easily bring the water to the surface.
Education is a high GRA priority. A school building (fig 3) has been finished this past year; however, GRA still needs to raise funds to furnish the class rooms with desks and chairs for all students.
Dr. Muir funds 4 scholarship students - 3 of whom are in their secondary and college years. Mr. Innocente (fig 4), a second year college student in Arusha, was overwhelmed to receive a laptop computer to help him with his studies.
It was a joy to bring the youngest scholarship student, Silvester Massawe (fig 5), to the US the summer of 2007. He attended UCLA summer camp. To help him improve his English skills, Dr. Muir is now working to process a student visa application so that he may be able to study for a short time in the US.
African Medical Officer (AMO), John Kachensa (fig 6) received text books and a laptop computer from Dr. Muir in Musoma, TZ. AMO Kachensa is in great need of an ultrasound machine to further assist him in patient diagnosis. Dr. Ahmed Jusabani (fig 7), a radiologist at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Moshi, TZ received teaching disks from the ACR a laptop computer and other computer accessories from Dr. Muir.
Dr. Muir has also been involved in other non-profit organizations - providing both financial and "hands on" support. Together with a UCLA pediatric team and angiointerventional personnel, trips have been made to the Door of Faith Orphanage in Baja Mexico where the children have received medical check-ups, clothes, shoes and food. In figure 8, Dr. Muir's brother Jim Muir and niece Mollie Muir, paint one of the children dormitories.
Dr. Muir's financial support to Hearts with Hope (Corazones Con Esperanza) Foundation founded in 2003 by UCLA pediatric cardiologist Dr. Juan Alejos, (fig 9) helped fund a October 2007 trip to Peru which provided medical care and other necessities for children with congenital heart disease. This successful mission preformed 18 surgeries, 33 heart catheterizations including AICD and pacemaker placements, over 100 dental extractions, and evaluation of nearly 800 children in Arequipa and Cuzco, Peru.
For more information about American College of Radiology International Volunteer System (ACRIVS), visit https://internationalservice.acr.org
