Dreams coming true

The new Sinkhani (health worker) community center in Kazomba, Malawi is almost finished.  The Sinkhani have been hanging scales in a tree to weigh the babies in rain and shine.  Now they will have a shelter for the moms who walk long distances to have their babies monitored.  Jere, the contractor, anticipates finishing the building in plenty of time to have a ribbon-cutting celebration when we visit in August.

In addition to the ongoing health activities, the center will also be used for a training facility for the Sinkhani themselves.  They have recruited new volunteers who want to attend basic training sessions for such topics as nutrition, sanitation, baby weighing, immunizations and oral rehydration therapy as well we train the "old" group how to facilitate groups for grieving orphans.  Big dreams long in the making now coming true.

Many of our baby-monitoring stations are located under primitive shelters (see above). The land where the Kazomba building is located was a gift from the village chiefs.  Now other chiefs are stepping up and offering land in their communities for the Sinkhani to establish other centers. With 42% of the children in Malawi stunted from malnutrition, the needs are urgent and compelling.