Mount Meru Foundation

is a Dutch non-governmental organization (NGO). All donations go directly to projects in Tanzania and Zanzibar. The board and volunteers work on a voluntary basis. The Mount Meru Foundation is recognized by the Dutch tax authorities as a Public Benefit Organization (ANBI).

Our vision

The Foundation believes that every woman, regardless of her circumstances, has the right to good maternal care and that every child has the right to be born safely. Therefore, the Mount Meru Foundation wants to contribute to the improvement of maternal and child care in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in the rural areas of Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Mission Statement

Ultrasound is an essential part of good maternal care, especially in remote areas. The Mount Meru Foundation believes that every woman should have an ultrasound scan during pregnancy, as a minimum, according to national protocol. Therefore, the Mount Meru Foundation is committed to increasing knowledge and expertise in the field of antenatal ultrasound.

Strategy

Over the past few years, the Mount Meru Foundation has developed a programme to sponsor talented sonographers to develop their skills in prenatal ultrasound. This programme consists of three components: a one-year basic training course, a two-year follow-up programme of additional training and, where necessary and appropriate, the provision of a mobile ultrasound unit for experienced sonographers. This last step is conditional and specifically designed for sonographers who will be working in remote areas.

Sustainable commitment

The sonographers trained by the Mount Meru Foundation are committed to the mission and vision of the Foundation. This means that they, in turn, commit to train students participating in our programme and to perform antenatal ultrasound scans in rural areas for a standard fee set by the Tanzanian government.

Aim for the next 5 years

Several sonographers have now successfully completed the programme and are working in rural areas. The Foundation wishes to continue and expand this programme and aims to train four sonographers per year over the next 5 years. Where necessary and appropriate, the Foundation would like to equip them with a mobile ultrasound machine to provide services in rural areas. The Mount Meru Foundation aims to raise structural funds for these parts of the programme. To realize its ambitions, the Foundation also wants to expand its regional network, further strengthen the Foundation organizationally and increase its reputation in Tanzania and the Netherlands.

Aim for the next 10 years

In the next 5 to 10 years, the Mount Meru Foundation aims to establish a central skills lab where sonographers can further develop their skills in antenatal ultrasound. The skills lab will provide training to sonographers associated with the Foundation's own programme. The Foundation also has the ambition to organize master classes taught by European experts from the Foundation's network. For the skills lab to function optimally, funding is sought for furniture, ultrasound equipment and possibly simulation equipment. The Mount Meru Foundation is currently working on an action plan.