The Board of Directors

                                      Board members:  Back row L-R, Heather Campbell, Michelle Mahlik (VP)
                                      Michael Lewis, Jeff Manuel, Mike Keeble, Emily Penrose-McLaughlin,
                                      and Stuart Waite.  Front row Jac Kirkpatrick (Treas), Lauren Hall (New ED),
                                      Cherry Newcom (Sec), Shandra Newcom and Sherri Kirkpatrick (Pres). 
                                      Not pictured, Tammy Everett, Ron Carter.

Behind every successful organization is an incredible Board of Directors.  HealthEd Connect is no exception.  Our Board members contribute countless hours to all things HealthEd Connect.  As a matter of fact, ten of the fourteen members will have personally been on site to experience the programs in Africa by this January.  Four others will have been to Nepal by March.  This is the group that makes the HEC world go round!

Welcome Lauren!

Lauren Hall (L) with Sherri and Jac Kirkpatrick

Strike up the band!  Send up the balloons!  And celebrate a huge milestone in the life of HealthEd Connect.

After an extensive year-long transition plan and search, Lauren Hall was selected by the Board of Directors as the new Executive Director and first full-time employee of HealthEd Connect.  We are excited to welcome Lauren to the HealthEd Connect family!  She brings a wealth of experience and a passion and commitment that will help take the programs to the next level.

As co-founders, Sherri and Jac are thrilled to see their dreams moving forward under such capable hands.  As Sherri says, "This is a huge leap forward!   There will now be three full-time people lifting lives in our programs.  Jac and I hope to have more time to do road trips and tell the story in person."  If you'd like to invite them to your area just let us know!

Lauren assumes her new duties October 26.

Fantastic News!

We're shouting the news from the rooftops!!!  Our Chipulukusu Young Peace Makers School was just notified they ranked 2nd out of 76 community schools in the Ndola, Zambia area!!!

According to the kids themselves--- it's really cool to attend such an awesome school! The truly amazing thing, ladies and gentlemen, is that this recognition was achieved not by a well-endowed private school but by a school of orphans and vulnerable children.

A huge congratulations goes to the head teacher, Mr. Milimo, and his teaching team for forming a school with such high standards.

GreatNonprofits Award

We've won a spot on the 2015 Top-Rated List! HealthEd Connect just received the following message from Great NonProfits:

Congratulations!  HEALTHED CONNECT has earned a spot on the 2015 Top Rated List! Your community has shared their inspiring stories about your work.  We congratulate you on all of your accomplishments. You'll be featured on our site, our 2015 Top-Rated List, and distributed to media and corporate foundations. The official 2015 Top-Rated List will be announced after October 31. We are one of the first winners of a 2015 Top-Rated Award from @GreatNonprofits (#GreatNP2015)! Read our great reviews and add your story! http://greatnonprofits.org/org/healthed-connect

Smiling orphans

Fun Day!

The Kafwa health workers in Chipulukusu are making an incredible impact on the orphans.  Divided into two age groups, the orphans come once a week for activities and a good dose of love from the Kafwa.  Lovingly called Mama Madam, the health workers play games with the children, read books to them, provide treats, and help the children keep the memories of their parents in a special place in their hearts.  When the 13-week sessions are completed, many of the children stay in touch with their Mama Madam and stop by her house when they need someone to talk to.

It's Not All About the Money

Andrew Murphy celebrating his half marathon

I finished! I've been training all summer for today... and it's done! I ran the Waddell & Reed Half Marathon Saturday in Kansas City, MO. I started this journey to raise money for HealthEd Connect's Teacher Mentor Program. I'm happy to announce that I raised $1,765! Even though I believe it's terribly important to have the resources available to do things that are needed to help people, I have learned over the summer that those $1,765 is not the only thing HealthEd Connect has gained. Due to my marathon training and asking people to donate, I've told "my" HealthEd Connect story to at least 200 people. Those 200 people now know why this organization means so much to me. This is what they heard:

I'm running because I believe all children deserve an excellent education, no matter where they are born. 

I'm running because I believe teachers need support and professional development to be their best selves. 

I'm running because I've seen first hand that HealthEd Connect does just that for the lives of students and teachers in Zambia. 

So, whether it's HealthEd Connect or another non-profit that you choose to do some crazy thing for, don't forget it's not all about the money.

Sewing at last

The saga of the sewing machines in Chipulukusu, Zambia is long and convoluted.   It's amazing how difficult it is to find good products in the smaller towns.  After 2 years we finally located treadle Singer sewing machines in Kitwe and ordered four.  It took ages for them to be delivered but when they were unpacked it wasn't Singers at all -- it was a much cheaper Chinese brand that was not fully assembled, parts didn't fit, etc. etc.  Turns out Singer machines are no longer available (or so we are told) so we had to settle for what we received.  In spite of the set backs, the Kafwa are learning to sew and are proud of their work.  We're hoping this will turn into another good Income Generating Activity.

Full Service Operation

This little charmer in Zamtan provided a full-service operation.  Jac thought he was going to just pick her up for a little snuggle.  But no wall flower, this one! She firmly grabbed Jac's glasses, pulled them up to her little pink tongue, and proceeded to thoroughly slim them.  She approached her work with great enthusiasm and was even quite reluctant to eventually give up the task.   I predict her work ethic will take her far in life.

 Her mom is one of the stalwarts at Zamtan that keeps the school going.

Higher grounds

Sherri on a conference call in Pagosa Springs

While in Pagosa Springs recently, we needed to arrange a conference call to keep the HealthEd Connect business flowing.

We love Verizon but it's definitely not perfect!
In order to get a good connection, we walked around until we arrived at the top of a knoll in our front yard where we 'tested the air waves.' We finally settled on this hot spot and successfully stayed connected for the entire conference call.  The wonders of modern technology even in the forest!

Congratulations Loveness!

Congratulations are in order for Loveness Mulemba, the head teacher at our Kasompe School of Peace.  While working full-time as a head teacher, she also attended school on a HealthEd Connect scholarship to obtain her teaching credentials.  Under Loveness' guidance the Kasompe school has grown to the full 7 grades with over 300 students enrolled.

The graduation ceremony was held at Chalimbana university in the capitol city of Lusaka.  Loveness has repeatedly expressed her gratefulness for the HealthEd Connect supporters who made her scholarship possible.