International construction staffing specialist The Highfield Company has turned the idea of a recruitment agency taking a fee for a placement on its head by paying to sponsor two healthcare professionals placed at a medical centre in rural Western Kenya.

Managing director Peter Marston told Recruiter that he first became aware of the Dreamland Medical Centre in Kenya as he knew a physio that worked there. Upon contacting the centre he was informed that while big pharmaceutical companies had donated medical equipment, the centre lacked staff.

Marston said the firm always planned on donating 10% of its profits to charity. This has now helped pay for registered nurse Getfine Lukamba and lab technician Charles Wanyama to start work at the centre.

“I thought, well we’re in recruitment - there is a connection there, so we agreed to sponsor two staff initially for two years. We have operated in Kenya in the past. And because we do international construction, partnering with a hospital in rural Kenya seemed like a good idea.”

He continued: “The nurse does things like child immunisation and the lab technician tests for Aids and things like that. We have committed to two years but if it goes well we continue it, and as we grow, we will sponsor more medical staff.”