Celebrating Education at All Stages

Brenda sits behind her friend at the Kafwa literacy class.

Denied the chance to attend school as a child, Brenda found a supportive community through the Kafwa (Zambian community health workers). She was first introduced to the Kafwa by her husband, Abraham, who was a Kafwa member himself. Abraham was blind, but a loyal and wonderful Kafwa member, navigating the village with the help of his daughter as he went to help his community. Sadly, Abraham passed away not long ago. 
 
After the passing of her husband, Brenda was comforted by the other Kafwa. As they uplifted Brenda, the Kafwa challenged the older gender "norm" that only boys should attend school, and encouraged Brenda to start her education.
 
Now that she has begun, she is INSPIRED! Brenda shared: "It is of great joy that am in school for the first time in my life and this is all because of you friends!"  Her excitement is contagious, and her profound desire to learn will be passed on to her children, and their children after. We are so proud to be supporting women like Brenda in their journey towards education and empowerment!

Psst... Important news! Our new website is launching NEXT WEEK on March 1st! We invite you to check it out!  >>  http://healthedconnect.org/

Tea Time

 

A man harvests tea from a field

A warm welcome to Biratnagar, Nepal

How often do you drink tea? In American culture, coffee reigns king, and tea seems almost an afterthought. 

In Nepal and Africa though, our colleagues would tell you that tea is part of their everyday life! Tea is a drink offered to welcome guests, a way to start the day, and a staple "food" for many people.

When Dr. Sherri Kirkpatrick made her first trips to Asia and Africa, it was nearly impossible to convince people that tea did NOT count as a food. Since then, research has uncovered the many benefits of tea as a holistic agent. Unsurprisingly, tea has remained a staple that our colleagues can use to increase antioxidants, soothe common ailments, or comfort others.

It's an important part of both areas' agriculture as well. Lush, green fields create a stark contrast against the red soil in Africa, and Nepal has a government sector dedicated to their tea exports. Much of the tea that's consumed in the United States was grown in Asia and Africa. 

Today, we invite you to pour a cup of tea and consider a small piece of the culture that's shaped some of our dear friends! 

Our Nursing Scholars are Uplifting Lives!

Pictured above: Karen Mulubwa in the nursing skills lab

February 11 is International Day of Women and Girls in Science! This week we have been highlighting several recipients of our nursing scholarship this year, recognizing their study of health sciences and service to improve the health of people in their communities. 

“I decided to train as a nurse because of my experience from my immediate environment, my community which is actually flooded with alot of helmets (diseases) and the presence of many vulnerable people who sometimes do not get utmost attention and support due to their  social and economical status. I thought my training will enable me to provide a service to all these people and possibly volunteer to those who  are in my reach. Furthermore, I am interested in engaging myself in community health groups such as the Kafwa helping the women cleaning wounds of clients with no relatives.” -Karen Mulubwa, Zambia

 

Fun fact: Karen was one of our amazing teachers at Mapalo Young Peacemakers School and she loved teaching. She struggled to decide whether to pursue nursing or teaching and finally followed her heart to nursing. Karen has long watched her mother, Grace, a Kafwa community health worker leader, tending and supporting the health needs of community members in Mapalo. Based on her experience in her community, and watching the Kafwa, her heart was led to pursue nursing and we know her compassion and skilled care will impact many lives! 

To empower other aspiring nurses who wish to serve their communities, click the link below and choose “Nursing Scholarship Endowment” to give others the same opportunity as Karen! 

http://bit.ly/Okagy1

Bright Futures Ahead!

Hats off to the graduates! Left to Right: Linda Mutalala (teacher), Memory Namonje, Helen Mukuka, Kennedy Muteswa, Loveness Mulemba (head teacher)

Graduates share how they feel about graduating! "Thank You", "Excited", "Thankful"

We are so proud of our Girls Achievement Program (GAP) and General Scholar graduates! From our primary schools to high school and now beyond, they've worked so hard to receive their high school certifications. They have big dreams for their futures, and we have no doubt they’ll achieve them! 

Kasompe Community School of Peace held a ceremony to celebrate the scholars from their area. It was so exciting to see these scholars - previously students at our primary school and further mentored through the GAP weekly program - now graduating from high school! Head teacher, Loveness Mulemba, reported: “It was really an exciting moment to have the first fruits of the grade 12s at our school. We had to invite the parents to the graduates, the kafwas, school board and the teachers at large. This was awesome, we enjoyed the speeches from our graduates in which they thanked everyone and especially our sponsors the HealthEd Connect who made it possible for things to happen.”

To say we are THRILLED for the graduates would be an understatement! We are beaming with happiness and celebrate their achievements! And we feel grateful to supporters like you, who helped make this milestone possible!

Hero of the Week

Community health worker, Ramprasad, giving soap and masks to a young girl.

Community health worker volunteer, Ramprasad ("Ram"), is our hero of the week! Ram ensures that children in his village have access to health care, no matter the obstacles.

In remote Gorkha, Nepal, where he lives, Ram has been providing health education for women, children, and families for years. Ram has also built 25 latrines to improve sanitation for the community. And he's been providing soap and masks to families in the community for COVID-19 prevention, thanks to the generosity of HealthEd Connect donors.

Recently, a child needed to go to the hospital, but it was a four hour walk. The child did not have a father or a family member strong enough to make the trek. So, Ram volunteered to carry the child the four hours to reach the small hospital in town. Upon arriving, the hospital referred the child to a larger hospital in Kathmandu for treatment, several more hours away. Ram escorted the child the rest of the way to Kathmandu to seek treatment.  Ram went to extraordinary lengths to help this child, and he would do it all again for anyone in need!

These are the types of actions that make our community health worker colleagues so amazing. Their drive to ensure people in their communities are given the best care is unmatched!

Health, Education, and Empowerment

Health worker, Joyce, assists community client with mask placement.

A recent message from the Kafwa community health volunteers in Mapalo, Zambia, showed the amazing impact made by donors like you in response to rising COVID-19 numbers.

"We have noted that it is of great importance that we help in educating our clients in mindset change to live well in this new normal. Our visit was not short of sensitizing clients about how they need cope with the current change in our usual way of life. This saw us distributing face masks, tablets of soap, a basin and Jar to helping them maintain the hand washing and masking.

Our clients...expressed gratitude toward the items received as this is making them feel part of the community as with the struggling way of life its difficult to access soap at the expense of buying food."

Because of your generosity, clients no longer need to choose between food and soap. They were able to receive everything necessary for a hand-washing station and a mask sewn by the health workers. Thank you for all you do to empower women and children during this pandemic!

Preparing for Another Wave

Health worker, Sangeeta Poudel, providing soap to mother and daughter in Biratnagar, Nepal. 

For several months, the communities and nations where our health worker colleagues serve were reporting little to no new cases of COVID-19. We were elated to keep seeing this positive trend! But that changed last month. Cases are on the rise again, some at their peak, and the new highly transmissible strain of the virus was identified in South Africa – gateway to the rest of sub-Saharan Africa. We sounded the alarm bells, and supporters like you were quick to respond, generously supporting our appeal to re-stock our health workers with supplies for COVID-19 prevention (more soap, supplies for masks, wash basins, etc.). Thanks to your generosity, we were able to send $10,750 specifically for COVID-19 prevention last week to our three community schools and health worker colleagues, serving 56 communities, empowering people with resources and education to stay healthy. Your support saves lives! We’re hopeful that this year COVID-19 will be stamped out globally! 

For more information about COVID-19 global tracking, Reuters is one of several credible sites we follow: https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/

See data for the countries where we work: Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Zambia, and Nepal. 

 

Reflecting on 2020

As the sun sets on the year of 2020, we want to recognize the amazing work that has been accomplished in spite of the unique circumstances of this year. This is all possible thanks to your support! 

70,484 infants and children have been weighed and monitored

51,609 mothers were educated about nutrition and sanitation

35,124 babies have been immunized

4,715 books were checked out from the school libraries

1,415 orphans and vulnerable children are in school and receiving lunch each day

26 new health workers were trained in Malawi (doubling their numbers!)

12 scholars of the Girls Achievement Program (GAP) and general scholarship

graduated high school! 

6 sewing machines and supplies were provided, collectively making thousands of masks

this year (and will transition to income generating and teaching opportunities in

the future)

We feel truly grateful for you. You are supporting efforts that uplift and empower women and children, and that is a gift that lasts long-term! 

We look ahead to 2021 with hope and anticipation to continue implementing health care and education to those most vulnerable or lacking access. 

 

Celebrating students!

Students in Zamtan enjoying their celebratory lunch

December is a busy time for our Zambian students as their school year comes to a close and Grade 7’s face their exams. As a celebration of all their hard work, the Kafwa and teachers make sure to have a special meal on the last day of school! This celebration meal includes treats rarely on the menu, such as flavored drinks and meats. Each one of our sister schools prepares something special that the kids love! 

At our school in Kasompe, students were surprised and ecstatic to receive fried chicken as part of their celebration! Kafwa leader, Ireen, reported that most of the children have chicken only once every 4 or 5 months, or just on Christmas day. More than that, the process of making fried chicken from scratch (starting with live chickens) is quite a task in the best of kitchens...much less over a charcoal fire! Even still, the Kafwa lovingly began cooking at 5 am so that 60 chickens and sides would be ready for the students who so rarely receive such a treat. 

When you give to HealthEd Connect as an act of love, you recognize special celebrations like this one, but even more importantly, your gift provides long-lasting blessings of health and education for those who would otherwise lack access. Thank you for supporting our heroes and our friends - the community health workers, teachers, and students!

 

Seeing Double in Malawi!

 

Sinkhani in training! Weighing babies regularly allows health workers to track growth and identify malnutrition early on to prevent stunting. 

The Sinkhani health worker volunteers in Malawi have doubled their numbers! They’ve added 28 new volunteers to expand their ability to equip mothers and caregivers with health and nutrition education. Over the years, the Sinkhani have made it their primary goal to reduce the national rate of childhood and maternal malnutrition. The good news is, they are making progress! Ten years ago, the rate of stunting (children too short for one’s age, often linked with other developmental concerns) was 48%.[i] Today, the rate of stunting in children under five is 39%.[ii] Certainly an improvement, but malnutrition remains a serious issue leading to preventable child deaths. So, the work of prevention continues!

Recently, the new Sinkhani gathered for their first official health worker training, facilitated by the current Sinkhani volunteers, local government health officials, and community development instructors. Training topics included: sanitation, nutrition, immunization, oral rehydration therapy (to treat diarrhea), growth monitoring, and community health interviews. Training started immediately following the grand opening of the new Sinkhani Community Center and Under Five Clinic in Kazomba, Malawi! Sinkhani training was the perfect inaugural activity for their community center!

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[i] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6111268/

 [ii] https://globalnutritionreport.org/resources/nutrition-profiles/africa/eastern-africa/malawi/

Grand Opening in Malawi!

 

Grand opening of the Sinkhani Community Center in Malawi!

Sinkhani Community Center - Kazomba under five clinic, women and youth advocacy

After several delays due to the pandemic, the long-awaited day arrived for the Sinkhani community health worker volunteers to officially celebrate the opening of the Sinkhani Community Center in Kazomba, Malawi. You may have followed this journey with us, from the donation of land from the village chiefs, to the ground breaking of a community center for the purpose of health education, weighing and monitoring infants and children, basic health care, and group gatherings, such as support groups for orphans and vulnerable children. You may have even donated to HealthEd Connect to help with the project! We're so happy to share with you this news! And so happy for the Sinkhani and the community to celebrate this occasion and the many opportunities that the center will provide for the community! 

The opening ceremony included welcoming speeches by members of the Sinkhani board of directors, the village chiefs who donated the land, district health officials, and singing (of course!) by the Sinkhani volunteers and women from the community all welcoming this development. The district health official, as guest of honor, cut the ribbon opening the doors of the center for all! 

Stay tuned next week for an update on how the center was used immediately following this ceremony to host health worker training for new and veteran Sinkhani volunteers!

We empower women and children because...

 

Everything we do revolves around our mission to empower women and children through evidence-based health, education, and advocacy. We’re passionate about this mission and believe we’re on the right track. A wealth of research has shown that gender equality and women's empowerment are essential to ending extreme poverty and promoting strong communities. Why? Because empowered women and girls share valuable knowledge and act as agents of change in their communities. That means better health and wellbeing for all.

Take Sangeeta Poudel for example. Sangeeta saw the needs around her, knew the health worker shortage and lack of access to care for so many in her community, and had a deep desire to serve. She became trained as a volunteer health worker with HealthEd Connect to provide basic health care in her community, but she wanted to do more! Sangeeta applied for a professional nurse training scholarship available through HealthEd Connect, and through this investment in Sangeeta’s education, everyone has benefited. When Sangeeta isn’t working as a nurse at the local hospital, you can find her volunteering to share valuable health education and front-line care within communities in Biratnagar, Nepal. Girls are watching and making plans to follow in Sangeeta’s footsteps.

Your contribution to HealthEd Connect empowers girls to reach their full potential and be agents of change, like Sangeeta. Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday, the biggest donation day of the year, and we’re asking for your help to ensure that girls not just survive but thrive!

We have a match opportunity available through tomorrow – a perfect way to double your impact! Please help us reach our dollar-for-dollar goal of $25,000 by midnight PST on Giving Tuesday, December 1^st.  

Click this link, or paste in your browser, to make your empowering gift and double your impact today! >>  http://weblink.donorperfect.com/hec-givingtuesday

This sweet woman is crying because she's deeply touched that Sangeeta reached out to show compassion and care

Survivng to Thriving!

These beautiful sisters are thriving now thanks to the efforts of the Sinkhani! Many children in Malawi face circumstances that lead to malnutrition and stunted growth. Our Malawian volunteer health worker colleagues, the Sinkhani, teach moms about nutrition to support infant and child development, conduct routine weighing and monitoring to ensure children are growing, and emphasize the importance of immunizations to keep children healthy!

The Sinkhani have recently doubled their numbers! They’ve added more volunteers to expand their ability to equip mothers and caregivers with health education to not just survive, but to thrive!

 

You have an opportunity to double your numbers, too! Between now and midnight on Giving Tuesday, December 1^st, your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $25,000! And we’re already halfway there! We hope you’ll help us reach our goal, so we can continue uplifting the important work of the health workers.

 

Click the link below to double your numbers and double your impact today! 

>> http://weblink.donorperfect.com/hec-givingtuesday

Do you give thanks for your toilet?

How often do you think about your toilet? Or your sink? Do you only consider soap when you are running low? Today is globally recognized by the UN as World Toilet Day, a day when we recognize this critical convenience that often gets overlooked.

Around 60% of the world’s population – 4.5 billion people - either have no toilet at home or one that doesn't safely manage human waste. And nearly 900 million people still practice going into fields, forests, open bodies of water or other spaces instead of using a proper sanitation facility. This practice carries serious health and safety risks, as contact with human waste can cause diseases such as cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, polio, diarrhea, worm infestation and malnutrition. Every day, more than 700 children under age 5 — about one every two minutes — die from diarrhea due to unsafe drinking water, poor sanitation or poor hygiene. ^[1] Without access to these basic services, poverty and disease abound. Poor sanitation is also linked to social and economic issues, along with negative environmental impacts^[2].

This is why we are so thankful for our supporters and volunteer health worker colleague, Ramprasad (“Ram”), in Nepal! Ram has been one of the biggest proponents of building latrines in the remote Gorkha region. Ram facilitated a lot of education and awareness about the importance of using latrines for safely managing waste and reducing disease, paving the way for community acceptance and involvement in the building of 25 latrines (and counting)!

Today, as you drink tap water without fear, wash your hands with soap, or flush your toilet, we invite you to be mindful of these conveniences that also play a vital role in healthy living!

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^[1] https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/saving-lives-one-toilet-time/35145  

^[2] https://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/67/291

The people have spoken, and the results are in!

 

Supporters have taken the time to share their voice and vote HealthEd Connect as a top-rated nonprofit! This is not the first time we’ve been honored, but every year we work exceptionally hard to be better than the year before (yes, even in 2020!). We are so grateful that this year, even with many new challenges, we are able to continue empowering women and children thanks to your support!

Below is just one of many of our favorite reviews from this year…

“I give to HealthEd Connect because they are actively investing in communities to make a difference. This nonprofit doesn't just talk about doing good, they embody it! My wife and I have a little girl, and we want to invest in organizations like HealthEd Connect that empower and invest in young women to change the world. I am a proud donor to this transformative nonprofit!”

We love our work, our colleagues, and those we serve. Thank you for uplifting and empowering the lives of women and children along with us!

If you'd like to add your voice and vote of support for HealthEd Connect, please visit https://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/write/healthed-connect to complete the short online survey. 

Learning New Skills

 

The Girls Achievement Program (GAP) for 5th-7th grade girls meets weekly at our community schools in Zambia, facilitated by the Kafwa volunteer health workers. Topics range from personal hygiene and development milestones, character building, nutrition, life skills, and more, with fun as a team! And all focused on empowering girls! 

Angela, Kafwa leader at Zamtan, sent us this recent message about learning a new skill! 
"The pictures below are for the Gap learning how to sew door mats. we are appreciating for the support, and the Gap team are very happy for what you are doing. please continue with the same spirit. Twatotela, Angela"

This is a skill that allows use of crafty creativity, and could be used for income generating. Go team!  

So Many Reasons to Smile!

 

We have a great big reason to SMILE today! We've received $1,538 from AmazonSmile to-date, which means your generosity has provided 10,253 lunches to orphans and vulnerable children for "free" at our schools! Thank you for including HealthEd Connect as a beneficiary as you shop! What a gift! 🥳🎁

Speaking of Gifts...If our mission to empower women and children through health and education inspires you, please consider asking your family and friends about donating to HealthEd Connect in lieu of physical items for the holidays this year. We would be honored to be a part of your annual gifting tradition!

Empowering Girls in Nepal

Pre-COVID, this group of girls in Biratnagar, Nepal, participated in education about menstruation, hygiene, and how to make sanitary pads. Volunteer community health workers, Yanso (right) and Sangeeta (left; also trained as a professional nurse) facilitated open and safe conversation about this topic and how to feel empowered and in control of their health and development.

In parts of Nepal, and other countries, women are forced to stay in outdoor sheds or huts during their menstruation. While many governments, including Nepal, have implemented legislation to ban the practice, the old tradition continues in many regions. This practice is not only punitive, but also dangerous, as there have been many reported cases of women who have died from snake bites or smoke inhalation while trying to keep warm outdoors.

Community health workers like Sangeeta and Yanso combat the stigma and empower women and girls with education and skills they need in development of healthy minds and bodies. 

Child-sized Bar of Soap

 

This strong girl is clutching tightly to her family's bar of soap that is nearly her size! From the generosity of HealthEd Connect donors, funds were raised this spring to purchase soap for all of the communities where our health workers serve to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Ireen Matete, Kafwa volunteer leader for Kasompe, Zambia, recently shared this photo and an update on the soap they purchased for their community health clients, giving them one bar of soap per month to make it last. Thanks to the health workers, life-saving prevention education and resources have made it the hands of families and children. 

Celebrating Teachers

Our teachers are outstanding! Their passion for teaching and care for students shines bright. This year the pandemic has presented significant challenges for educators. And in Zambia, online learning was not an option. But with teamwork, and engagement of caregivers, teachers provided opportunities for vulnerable students to continue learning curriculum components at home. Now back at school, everyone is adapting to new practices and protocols to ensure good health and safety. It’s a big responsibility, but teachers have shown, as they have so often, great leadership and innovation. 

Today is World Teachers Day and we celebrate the amazing teachers at our three HealthEd Connect sister schools. We also recognize the critical importance of educators everywhere. Thank you for inspiring students and empowering children every day!