Friends, thank you for journeying with us in our mission to empower women and children through evidence-based health, education, and advocacy! Community health worker volunteers, teachers, coordinators, staff, and supporters have all come together to build up families, brighten futures, and strengthen communities. Building sustainable change and creating new cycles takes time, but as the saying goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

We are going far, thanks to you all! We are grateful for the many people who are going together with us into 2024 and building upon another year of improving lives through health, education, and advocacy.

We’re so excited to share a success story from the Luapula province of Zambia! Coordinator Jane Chibwe shared with us about one mother’s experience with the weighing and monitoring program supported by the Kafwa. Jane shared this message:

“Look at the big smile [of] Mrs Chilufya and her daughter! Today she came looking for me at mulundu community center to testify that her child is alive and grown up well. In 2018 during our under five [clinic weighings], as Kafwa team, we found this child, Under weight to health chart, she was almost to death not at growth weight. We sent photos to Sherri [HealthEd Connect co-founder and health trainer], and she advised us how to give the child the balanced diet. Friends this child made us start planning out how we can have our own garden in order to save the lives of children in our community. It was a surprise to see Mrs Chilufya with her [daughter] today at mulundu community center, asking me ‘Jane do you remember this child, you helped me alot on this child's health. She is alive and grown up well, I came looking for you to thank, you and your team.’ She also left the child at the center that she will be learning with her friends now, and I was very happy and excited too, I never thought this child could be alive as well. This is our best moments to remember our good work indeed.”

Mrs. Chilufya’s story is the reason why it’s so important to have community health workers like our Kafwa friends in Luapula! They were able to identify this child’s needs, work with the mother to improve her daughter’s nutrition, and now, years later, are seeing this girl healthy and eager to learn at the community school they’ve developed at Mulundu center. We are thrilled to share such an uplifting experience from Jane and Mrs. Chilufya!

The Kathmandu team in Nepal helped to host a women’s clinic! This clinic provided important health access, identifying and addressing issues for the women attending. Blood pressure checks, cervical screenings, and more were made available, and our community health workers gave essential support by gathering attendees and providing assistance to the hospital clinicians.

Coordinator Pinkey Malla shared about their experience, saying:

“We did a women’s health camp and women came to check their uterus and also did VIA (cervical cancer) test. Nurses from Marei Stop Hospital brought all the equipment and medicine for each woman. If the women had infection or problem we managed some of the medicine and referred to hospital for further treatment. Volunteers helped by registering women (names, contacts), taking weight and blood pressure, making prescriptions and reports and after check ups, giving advice according to their report. Volunteers also helped to gather the women [for the clinic].”

Get a feel for what this event looked like with a quick TikTok video from our Nepal Coordinator, Pinkey!

We won an award for our 2022 Annual Report! Nonprofit Connect, a local nonprofit group here in Kansas City, hosts the Philly Awards each year celebrating the outstanding achievements in nonprofit marketing, communications, and fundraising. This year, they received over 200 submissions for categories ranging from videos, newsletters, websites, annual reports, and more. We're thrilled to share that HealthEd Connect received first place in the Small Organization Annual Report category!

Our report was judged for clarity, mission alignment, outcomes, creativity, design, and branding. Each year's annual report is a collaborative process, and we are so proud that the work of our team and the impact of our colleagues has been recognized! Every opportunity to share the work of our colleagues is a big deal, and we’re grateful to be featured!

Scholarships change lives in big ways! For Japhet Mumba from Mapalo, Zambia, the Young Peacemakers Community School and high school scholarship made way for a bright future. Just last month, Japhet was awarded a full bursary (scholarship) from the Zambian government to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy at Mukuba University. Scholarships like this from the government are rare, which speaks highly to his academic capability, and to the community cheering him on. Japhet kindly shared this story of his experience.

“My name is Japhet Mumba and I am a third born in the family of four children. My elder brother Mumba Emmanuel is a teacher at Young peace makers community school (YPM) in Ndola-Mapalo. Our youngest brother Michael is still schooling and our sister is married.

Therefore, I started my primary school in grade one at Young peace makers community school (YPM) in 2012. This late commencement of schooling was due to the demise of our dearly mother and father. This saddened our hearts deeply.

However, through my brother Mumba I was identified by Heathed connect as a double orphan in grade eight in 2018. The Heathed connect group took up a mantle of supporting me in various ways until I completed my secondary school in 2022. For example, in provision of substantial meals, clothing and school necessities.

Additionally, Young peace makers community wrote a letter for me to the bursary committee of High institutions in Zambia to be considered. Fortunately, I was accorded a bursary to pursue bachelor in pharmacy at Mukuba University in Kitwe.

Lastly, I sincerely encourage my fellow learners to set a 'massive goal' in their lives, pray for it to God, work hard and smart on the goal set in order for them to accomplish what they are aspiring now to be in future because 'the sky is the limit.'“

Life-changing opportunities are supported by passionate people like you, uplifting the importance of access to education through our community schools and scholarships for students like Japhet. Thank you!

October 24 marked the 59th Independence Day for Zambia! Our friends at Kasompe Community School of Peace celebrated with Zambian-flag colored clothing and songs in the courtyard of the school. Head teacher, Loveness Mulemba, shared these lovely photos and video with us, showcasing the students’ participation in the special day. Their bright clothes and happy faces make for a celebratory day, indeed!

Learn more about the symbolism and meaning of the Zambian national flag here.

Former Mapalo YPM student and GAP high school scholar, and current nursing scholar, Everlyn Kase, teaching wound care at the 2023 training in Malawi

What does the future look like for the next generation of women?

For over a decade, UNICEF has been celebrating the Day of the Girl to promote issues that threaten girls’ rights, opportunities, and safety (UNICEF). Each year, UNICEF sets goals that will make the future brighter for the next generation of women, and can be supported at the national, local, or individual level. Goals for 2023 to 2024 include:

• Recognizing, celebrating, and supporting the leadership of girls

• Increasing programs that support adolescent girls’ well-being

• Support and increase sustainable funding that will address issues girls are facing

We are proud to invest in programs that support these goals! The weekly Girls Achievement Program (GAP) supports the well-being of girls as they learn about bodily development, life skills, and personal development. This group also directly addresses issues that girls face in the communities where we work, like early marriage and young pregnancy; issues and practices we aim to decrease. We also choose to fund scholarship programs that specifically uplift girls through secondary and tertiary education levels, providing a foundation to further opportunities and leadership in their communities. Many of our nursing scholars are young women and we support opportunities for them to lead as trainers with our volunteer community health worker teams.

We are grateful to you, our supporters, who make these life-changing programs possible. By continuing to empower girls, we are preparing the next generation of empowered women, and the whole community rises!

Teachers at Zamtan happily holding new supplies donated for their classrooms and extra-curricular activities

It’s World Teacher Day, so it’s time to celebrate women and men who choose to uplift others through education! The teachers at our three sister schools in Zambia are compassionate and creative leaders who we are proud to partner with. Their dedication to empowering orphans and vulnerable children is inspiring, and they use their many talents to help shape good citizens both in and out of the classroom! Along with their day-to-day class duties, many of the teachers support wrap-around programs and extra-curricular activities so the students have well-rounded opportunities for learning and fun.

At Kasompe Community School of Peace, Ms. Musonda and Ms. Musanya (pictured below) help care for the garden and incorporate lessons it into their curriculum so that students learn to grow nutritious foods.

At Mapalo Young Peace Makers Community School, Head Teacher, Mr. Mumba (far left, pictured below) assists with tutoring the KIT Club students receiving high school scholarships, so they do well in their studies and graduate with distinction. Mr. Chipyango (far right), KIT Coordinator, also provides tutoring and integrates co-curricular activities to enrich students’ learning experience.

Mr. Kingsley (front, pictured below) leads the choir at Zamtan Community School of Peace, giving students a chance to sing and dance after classes!

All of our teacher colleagues deserve to be celebrated and recognized for their empowering work! We are thankful for our teacher friends, and extend our gratitude to teachers across the world uplifting young world-changers!