Hope Dental Centre is our fully equipped clinic in the busy centre of Mwanza, Tanzania.
It operates on a unique self-funding basis. The centre provides a wide range of high quality dental services with affordable prices, meeting the oral health needs of all members of the Mwanza community, including local residents and ex-pats. All the costs of running the centre, including the dentists’ capped salaries, are met from the fees charged and all profits made from providing these services are donated for the charitable purposes of Bridge2Aid Tanzania.
Currently, Hope is based in a business centre of a hotel. It has no control over its premises which are unfortunately in a condition no longer fit for purpose. There is excess water damage to the ceiling and a tired approach to the building, leaving it unattractive for both current and new patients. We now have the opportunity to move the practice to other premises, just outside Mwanza town centre to the up-and-coming Isamilo area. The new premises are residential, and we plan to refurbish them completely, aiming to work to Best Practice Standards in the build and ongoing operation. Control over the premises means that we will be able to provide a safe, healthy and welcoming environment which will help Hope attract more patients and increase the volume of higher fee-paying treatments, thus increasing Hope’s contribution to Bridge2Aid.
The project costs will amount to around £125,000. We have received substantial support from the UK dental industry which has given us the confidence to proceed with our plans, despite Bridge2Aid being unable to financially support the project. Adec UK (Bridge2Aid’s Corporate Friend) and Chipping Manor Dental Practice (a Founding Unity Partner) are leading both the project and the fundraising.
Our thanks to the many companies that have also contributed to the project: Eschmann, Hague Dental, our Corporate Friend Henry Schein Dental, Durr, DBG, Satelec, Software of Excellence, Dental Directory, NSK, ASPD, Microminder, Midland Lead and Happy Threads. Because of these companies we have already raised the equivalent of over £90,000 in equipment. Chipping Manor Dental Practice is now taking on the fundraising role to source the remaining £35,000 – a fundraising site is now up and running at www.justgiving.com/chippingmanorshope.
For more information on Building Hope please click here.
We hope that you share our excitement for what promises to be an incredible project that will result in increasing funds for Bridge2Aid’s work in developing nations. Please contact Project Manager Ian Stephens today if you’d like to support any aspect of the project, he’d be delighted to hear from you: i.stephens@chippingmanor.co.uk
The HOPE team
