He founded Panzi Hospital in 1999 with the singular aim of making life much better for mothers and their babies, then war broke out.  Working among traumatized women and children of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Denis Mukweze has seen it all: between 100 and 500 women and children raped every day, ranging from 19-month-old babies to octogenarians; with their digestive and reproductive organs totally and brutally impacted.  Frustrated by the relentless use of mass rape as a weapon of war and mass destruction of babies, women and entire communities, Mukweze sought for ways to improve medical equipment at the hospital to cope with the overwhelming demands.

Speaking in January 2017, at a Rotary Foundation Seminar sponsored by District 1620 (Belgium), the OB/GYN surgeon detailed the atrocities going on in his native country.  The Rotary Clubs in attendance donated $120,000 immediately.  This was augmented by $40,000 in District Designated Funds and a grant of nearly $100,000 from the Rotary Foundation.  Forty-two clubs participated in the project, including the host club, Rotary Club of Bukavu Mwangaza in South Kivu, DRC.  In 2018, through a Rotary Foundation Global Grant, the hospital was gifted with a state-of-the-art digital X-ray machine which allows doctors to view results electronically and share them with distant specialists when needed.

Today, although rape as a weapon of war has yet to be obliterated from the region, with the help of the new Rotary donated machine, maternal and infant mortality have been drastically reduced with a 99.1% live birth rate.  More than 85,000 rape or birth-related complications have been treated, and victims who cannot afford post-rape medical care continue to be treated free of charge at the Panzi Hospital.  Your generous donations end up improving lives world-wide.

• All contributions are voluntary.
• Your contribution is being matched 2 to 1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Your contribution will be forwarded to the Foundation by the club in your name.
• You will receive Paul Harris Recognition points for your contribution.
• Checks should be made payable to the “Rotary Club of Ankeny”.
• Your contribution is tax deductible.
• These contributions will be in addition to and will not reduce the amount the club annually contributes to the PolioPlus campaign.

Thank you Ankeny Rotarians!!