Bohra Community Medical Camp Transforms Lives In Malindi

By Ben Okweingoti.

Hundreds of residents in Malindi, Kilifi County, have benefited from a free medical camp organized by the Dawoodi Bohra community to mark the visit of their spiritual leader, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin.

The cleric, who arrived in the country on Tuesday, is expected to travel to Nairobi to inspect various community projects under the Project Rise initiative.

Residents who turned up for the outreach lauded the initiative, describing it as timely and life-changing, particularly for those battling chronic illnesses but unable to afford treatment. Led by Shella ward resident Halima Salim, many noted that the camp had provided access to critical healthcare services often out of reach.

“Patients are many and they don’t have money, and we thank the Bohra community for organizing this medical camp so that our people can get free treatment,” she said, adding that lifestyle diseases remain widespread but largely untreated due to poverty.

The medical camp, led by Dr. Adnan Mustafa, brought together a team of specialists from across the globe. According to Dr. Mustafa, the exercise revealed a worrying prevalence of non-communicable diseases among residents.

“This is a multi-specialty camp with doctors from across the world. We have identified that high blood pressure and diabetes are rampant here, and many patients are discovering their conditions for the first time through this camp,” he said.

He further disclosed that a child diagnosed with vascular complications, which have hindered mobility, has been referred for further specialized care.

Local leaders hailed the initiative as a model for collaboration between communities and government. Shella ward MCA Twahir Abdulkarim said the Bohra community’s involvement demonstrated the impact of partnerships in improving livelihoods.

“Apart from the medical camp, the Bohra community has signed an MoU with the Malindi Municipality to undertake drainage works across the town,” he noted.

Malindi Municipal Board Chairman Suleiman Salim also welcomed the partnership, particularly in enhancing sanitation during the ongoing rainy season.

Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung'aro and his Lamu counterpart Issa Timamy separately met Syedna Saifuddin at his residence in Malindi, where they commended the Bohra community for its sustained investment in social development.

Governor Mung’aro pledged continued support, saying his administration would ensure a conducive environment for the community to expand its activities.

“The cooperation we have had with the Bohra community is immense, and we will continue strengthening it so that our people can benefit more,” he said.

Governor Timamy echoed the sentiments, highlighting the community’s contributions to trade, education, environmental conservation and job creation.

The Dawoodi Bohra community, a Shia Muslim group of Indian Gujarati origin, has maintained a strong presence in coastal towns and major urban centres in Kenya for over two centuries. It is actively engaged in trade, manufacturing, construction and real estate, alongside social and environmental programmes under its global Project Rise initiative.

Through these efforts—ranging from food distribution and healthcare outreach to mangrove restoration—the community continues to align its activities with national development priorities.

The group also runs educational institutions such as Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah Academy in Nairobi, reinforcing its longstanding social and economic footprint in the country.