The white Kenyan

A broken arm in the suburbs of Nairobi. Young girl playing football when the accident occurs. Helpful man takes the girl to a public hospital. In the waiting line to get in to the doctor's, bone pipe pointing out. Brave girl waits patiently. 

Next morning the helpful man calls to check everything is alright. The girl had not yet been treated. 

Children are not highest priority at hospitals in Kenya. Loose a parent and you might end up with a bunch of orphans. Loose a child, the parent is still ok to take care of the other children. Life is hard for the poor in Kenya.

That helpful man was a global citizen named Toby now living in Iten and New York. Years later Toby built the first public hospital for children in East Africa. In August 2015 the hospital opened and ever since nearly 40 000 children have been treated at Shoe4Africa Children's Hospital.

On Christmas Eve Toby gathered athletes like Shoe4Africa ambassador and Olympic marathon champion from Rio Eliud Kipchoge, Olympic 1500 metres finalist Charlie Grice, 2007 World 800 metres gold medallist Janeth Jepkosgei and 2005 World 5000 metres champion Benjamin Limo among other athletes to go to the hospital and bring some Christmas joy to the children. I was lucky to be invited to join for the trip to the hospital. Presents, cake, ice cream and lollipops on the menu and all handed out by Santa's little helpers. We were all wearing Christmas hats given to us by Toby's wife Chelimo. The children were enjoying and the staff was singing. It was  great atmosphere and I am pretty sure the children got a memorable day and for me it was a very touching day filled with destinies both sad and happy. The boy that had burnmarks all over his face and could not stay at home because he got ill due to bad immune system. The girl with blood cancer whose mother spent her last money to make her little daughter look nice for Christmas. The boy who had been beaten by his uncle so bad he nearly died. What they all had in common is that together with the rest of the children of Kenya, they have a place to get treated for their illnesses. On Christmas Eve the treatment included music and happiness. Santa's little helpers were on duty.

Thank you Toby. The world need more people of your kind.

Daily Nation on the visit to Shoe4Africa Children's Hospital

Shoe4Africa home page

Why Shoe4Africa and more?

Shoe4Africa Children's Hospital in Eldoret

Getting ready to roll

Chelimo helps one of the children to the Christmas party

Not every day you see an Olympic champion and two world champions in Santa hats

The staff and parents singing and dancing

Toby, the white kenyan makes sure everything runs smoothly

The children waits patiently for the party to start

Toby is securing every angle

The Christmas Eve party opened

Olympians and champions begins giving gifts to the children

Santa Benjamin Limo

All Santa's helpers on duty 

Santa Jepkosgei also known as the Eldoret Express

Happiness and smiles

Runners from HATC from all over the world...

...helped Santa in his deeds

Presents were donated to Shoe4Africa

It only takes a few little things to make people happy

Who wants pencils?

Children here are happy getting one thing while children at home seem to need at least 100 things to be satisfied

Time for a small speech. People in Kenya love to give speeches and be seen

I wonder what a Swedish child would say getting this all wrapped up for Christmas?

The well behaved children waits patiently

Lollipops also part of the Christmas Eve menu

Newspapers and TV in place and so is Toby

This little girl had cancer and her mother spent her last money to make her daughter look great for Christmas

Time for Chrsimas cake

Charlie Grice playing  with this child who got a fotball in present and got so proud of having a ball of his own. He was carrying the ball in the bag like he just won the biggest prize of all

The man in the background had to step in front and give a few words to the reporters. Asking the doctors on strike to get back to work. All doctors are striking demanding a 300 % raise

This is just the begining. Toby is planning a second building housing equipment and resources for treating cancer. The white kenyan never sleeps...