Early February KDD made a visit to Burkina Faso and Togo to explore the possibilities to start to intervene in these two countries of West Africa.
The mission ( Dick van der Schaaf Mark Leenders and Ton de Rijk ) were received in Ouagadougou by Padre Riccardo from Don Orione were the try to reboost the existing medical centre and paid a visit to various  structures who support handicapped children in Burkina Faso.
A short trip to the north of Togo was planned , the Don Orione association has a small hospital near Dapaong were Spanish doctors operate twice a year.
Finally we decided to try to send a first mission to Ouagadougou first half October to Ouagadougou with Togo as backup in case preparations to intervene in Burkina might turn out more complicated than expected.

The march mission to Bounua was a very crowded one , besides orthopaedists Jan van Loon and Ate Wymenga anaesthetist Flip Moens and instrumentalist Karin Hofland we were accompanied by Koen van loon specialised in prosthesis and Gust Van Loon physiotherapist.

A total of 18 patients were operated of which quite a number of difficult cases which stunned our specialists by their complication and rarity The collaboration with the local team is getting smoother all along as they work together for already the fourth year ( 7 consecutive missions since 2014 )

There was a serious discussion on the billing of patients by the Don Orione organisation. Although probably a fraction of European standards we felt that too many children were excluded from receiving medical assistance due to financial burden.
This issue should be solved in the future whether by sponsoring specific cases for families in need by KDD or by delivering technical orthopaedic material directly to Don Orione by KDD. One way or the other the intervention of the team KDD should be accessible to all.

With the support of Dick van der Schaaf , shortly retired and more available, slowly a network of motivated surgeons and medical assistants is being formed which will enable probably to intervene on a slightly larger scale with a regular basis.

Some very generous gifts and the sale of good Fuente wine enabled KDD to improve our financial situation. Thank you all so much.

KDD express their gratitude to the team their great enthusiastic efforts our hosts in Bounoua for their cooperation and friendship.

The next mission one to Bonoua and one to Ouagadougou are planned for first half October 2017.