Student Pharmacists and Street Children: A Mutually Beneficial Relationship Relationship

Abstract

he Tumaini Children’s Drop-In Center is a daytime drop-in center for the street children of Eldoret, Kenya. It is part of a partnership between the Purdue University College of Pharmacy, the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare program, Eldoret community members, and numerous individuals in both Kenya and the US. Through the efforts of local staff and Purdue student pharmacists, who work at the local hospital on an eight-week clinical rotation, the center has helped a population of nearly 400 local street children by providing a safe haven from life on the streets. Purdue student pharmacists aid the center by applying for grants to fund service-learning projects. These projects, run by the students, help provide the children with basic necessities in addition to screening and education sessions regarding local health issues. In turn, the street children aid the students by providing a break from the stress of the hospital and by providing a broader view of what health care should look like.