The vocation of the Jacaranda Resort in Watamu to show solidarity with local communities through development projects rather than pure welfarism is increasingly active and present.
After the various projects, from the water pipes to the school and church, adjacent to Jacaranda Bay, the owner, Roman entrepreneur Pasquale Tiritò, has decided to do something to protect the health of the residents.
I met with the County Health Minister, Charles Dado Karisa, and during the meeting he suggested the implementation of the Gede Health Centre," Tirito told Malindikenya.net. "It would benefit not only the residents of my area, but also a larger catchment area of about 75,000 inhabitants between the two districts of Watamu and Gede. There are no public facilities of any importance in the whole area except the one in Gede. There are a few private dispensaries (some managed and subsidised by volunteers) and the Watamu Hospital, also private. The health centre, on the other hand, plays an important role in the area and should be supported and expanded.
After a careful inspection, Tiritò realised that, like all the other counties in Kenya, Kilifi is also struggling with the lack of funds caused by the pandemic, so he wasted no time in carrying out some urgent work that had been expressly requested of him. This involved a new chimney for the incinerator, a new perimeter wall and a new gate. The work, entrusted immediately to one of the contractors already working on the restyling of one of his resorts, was completed in recent days. But the Italian entrepreneur has not stopped there and is cultivating a new, big project.
"I met with the management of the Agostino Gemelli Institute in Italy with the aim of finding new ways of collaborating with Kenya in the field of health. I presented my other community support initiatives and found interest, especially in the training projects of the Sacred Heart University and its international relations, with whose head, Professor Raffaele Landolfi, I had a cordial 'brain storming'.  For now we are at the proposal stage. An important institution such as Gemelli needs to move in very complex contexts, and as far as the Health Centre is concerned, there is a project for expansion with a new maternity centre, but it is just a project. Funds are needed and must be found. The County has provided a very comprehensive report on the health emergencies in the area and potential collaborations in terms of traning, where specialised doctors from Sacred Heart University or other international partners which already collaborates with the Italian institution could train local staff, could conduct a telemedicine project. Even more ambitious would be the interaction with the state government.
Tiritò, as we have already told you, is not in the habit of feeling sorry for himself and waiting for better times, just as he has done for his hotels, with the renovation of Eden Village, he moved quickly for the Gede Health Center and now he is already aiming at other goals.
I could have waited for the resumption of operations and carried out the work more gradually," explains the entrepreneur, "but instead this was an opportunity to give work to many of my staff, who were used by contractors, and to hundreds of people from the communities in the Jacaranda area, which have already been sufficiently tried by the crisis in tourism generated by the pandemic. As an entrepreneur, and as a family, I have always believed in social responsibility and not just business.  I conclude by saying that it was a joy for me, last January, to see the Jacaranda Primary School, which I donated to the community ten years ago, reopen for business and the school year. Let us continue to seek, and give positive signals with facts".