Carol Chisenga and Evelyn Kase are recent nursing graduates from Ndola, Zambia.

Sirah Nambeye, current nursing scholar in Ndola, Zambia.

Today, on this International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we celebrate the vital contributions women and girls make across every area of scientific discovery and innovation. At HealthEd Connect, our mission has always centered on empowering women and children through health, education, and advocacy—and this day offers the perfect opportunity to highlight some of the remarkable individuals who embody that mission: our nursing scholars.

Each year, in partnership with the Professional Nursing Association, we offer scholarships to aspiring nurses around the world. These scholarships help open doors to professional training, leadership development, and greater opportunity within their communities.

This year, we were thrilled to award scholarships to 14 incredible nursing students from 4 different countries, each of whom is dedicated to bringing health, care, and compassion to the people they serve. Supporting these scholars on their educational journeys is more than an investment in their futures—it’s an investment in the health and wellbeing of entire communities.

Sangeeta Poudel, former nursing scholar and current HealthEd Connect coordinator for Biratnagar, Nepal, alongside Nikita Malla, also a former nursing scholar and community health volunteer in Biratnagar, and Thad Wilson, HealthEd Connect board member and nurse who provided recent training in Nepal.

Many of these students don’t just study healthcare—they live it. Several former nursing scholars remain deeply connected to HealthEd Connect programs in their home regions by:

• Providing training for our community health volunteers

• Offering their time and talents as volunteers themselves

• Bringing reliable, compassionate health education back to their neighborhoods

Their commitment to giving back speaks volumes about their passion, resilience, and sense of calling. We are deeply grateful for their leadership and their dedication to strengthening community health from the inside out.

To all the nurses and nursing scholars who inspire us every day: we see you, we appreciate you, and we celebrate you. Thank you for the healing, hope, and education you bring into the world.

We love our nurses and our nursing scholars—today and every day!

Sinkhani Board chair and volunteer, Linley Mzira and Charity Banda weigh a child at a monthly weighing day in Mphamba, Nkhata Bay district in Malawi.

On January 24, the world comes together to celebrate the International Day of Education, a day established by the United Nations General Assembly to recognize the vital role education plays in fostering peace and development.

Education is more than just learning—it is the foundation for equality, opportunity, and progress. As the UN reminds us:
“Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth and adults behind.”

Education and Early Childhood Development in Malawi

In Malawi, one of the greatest challenges to education begins long before a child enters school. Severe malnutrition and stunting in early life prevent many children from reaching their physical and cognitive potential. To address this, Sinkhani community health volunteers (CHVs) have stepped in with a holistic approach, teaching tens of thousands of caregivers each year:

• Proper nutrition as the foundation for healthy growth.

• Sanitation practices to prevent illness.

• Instructions to make life-saving Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) for diarrhea and vomiting.

  In addition, they monitor child growth from birth to age five to ensure healthy development.

This work has had a profound impact in their communities. In recent years, community leaders have asked these volunteers to take on an additional role: teaching nursery school. These community-based preschools—often held in churches, community centers, and homes—give children ages 3 to 5 the opportunity to learn basic numbers, letters, and life skills. These skills are essential for entering government schools at age six.

Today, thanks to the dedication of CHVs, over 500 children across Malawi receive early education every day. This simple yet powerful initiative is transforming lives, breaking cycles of poverty, and giving children the chance to dream bigger.

Why It Matters

Education is not just a right—it is a lifeline. When children learn, communities grow stronger. When adults are empowered with knowledge, societies thrive. On this International Day of Education, let’s recommit to ensuring that every child, everywhere, has access to quality education.

Together, we can build a future where no one is left behind.

Morris Nyirenda shows us how she uses the walls to represent different learning stations in the small building that serves as her classroom at the Sinkhani Center in Kazomba, Mzimba district, in Malawi.

Milliam Ngoma with the nursery school children in Mphamba, a rural village in the Nkhata Bay district in Malawi.

Josephine Kipampe administers a yellow fever vaccination during a nationwide yellow fever vaccination campaign in October 2025.

Our community health volunteers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) recently played an important role in a nationwide immunization campaign to combat yellow fever. The ambitious goal? Immunize 400 people a day for 10 days—a challenge our volunteers embraced with dedication and determination.

The campaign targeted individuals aged 9 months to 60 years, ensuring broad protection across communities. Yellow fever, a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, remains a serious health threat in Africa, South America, and Central America. According to the World Health Organization, Africa bears the greatest burden, with an estimated 67,000–173,000 severe infections and 31,000–82,000 deaths annually. While the disease is prone to epidemics, it is preventable through vaccination—making campaigns like this one critical to saving lives.

Leadership and Training: Building Local Capacity

Our DRC programs coordinator and a long-time dedicated volunteer Josephine Kipampe trains volunteers in the Lubumbashi area to administer immunizations, amplifying the impact they can have in local clinics. Her dedication extends to the Kasenga district, where she mentors volunteers like Kamina Mwenwa, empowering them to protect their communities through vaccination.

Why Vaccination Matters

Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent yellow fever outbreaks. Each dose administered during this campaign represents a step toward stopping the spread of the disease and safeguarding thousands of lives. Our volunteers’ commitment to this mission is nothing short of inspiring—they are true champions of community health.

A Collective Effort for a Safer Future

This campaign is a powerful reminder that when communities come together, incredible things happen. Through education, training, and action, our volunteers are not only preventing disease but also building resilience for the future.

Ado Kasongo, a Wasaidizi community health volunteer in Lubumbashi, administers yellow fever vaccines.

On December 5, our Zambian schools marked the last day of their school year with a tradition that brings smiles to every face—a celebration feast for students and staff. This annual event is more than just a meal; it’s a time of joy, gratitude, and community.

Mr. Bwalya Siame, head teacher at Zamtan Community School of Peace (Kitwe, Zambia), shared his excitement: “Our end-of-year party at Zamtan Community School went very well as both teachers and learners really enjoyed.”

Preparing a feast for hundreds of students and staff is no small task. This year, the dedicated Kafwa volunteers from Kasompe Community School of Peace cooked an incredible spread:

• 75 kilograms of rice

• 30 kilograms of sausages

• 20 whole chickens

• 15 cabbages

• 10 bags of potatoes

The team began their work early in the morning, ensuring everything was ready for the big celebration. According to Ireen Chishimba, a Kafwa member from Kasompe (Chingola, Zambia), this year’s party was the best yet: “We had fun cooking for the children. All the Kafwa members came. We worked together and everyone was happy.”

As we continue to celebrate this holiday season and look forward to the new year, we are reminded of the joy that comes from giving and sharing. Across the globe, we are united with our program partners in joyfully sharing love and hope, creating a better today and tomorrow.

Kasompe Kafwa volunteers joyfully dance while preparing the celebration feast.

Have you seen this beautiful smile in your mail recently? The HealthEd Connect 2024–2025 Annual Report has arrived! If you haven’t received your copy yet, don’t worry—you can view it online here.

Our programs are the heart of what we do, and this year there is so much to celebrate. Inside the annual report, you’ll discover inspiring stories and impact statistics that relate to lives transformed through HealthEd Connect’s work:

• Community health programs that provide care and support

• Education initiatives for vulnerable children

• Maternal and child health programs giving babies a healthier start

But the impact doesn’t stop there. You’ll also read about:

• Community health volunteers who generously give their time to strengthen communities

• Board members who provide invaluable support and guidance (and enthusiasm!)

• Donors like YOU, whose generosity makes a global difference for women and children

The report is filled with stories and images that showcase these incredible impacts.

👉 Check out the 2024–2025 Annual Report now and celebrate with us!

December 10 is International Human Rights Day. On this day in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly—a landmark document affirming that every individual everywhere is entitled to fundamental rights and freedoms, without distinction.

At HealthEd Connect, we live out these principles every day. Our community health volunteers advocate for women and children by ensuring access to healthcare and education—providing care for each person without distinction.

Today, we celebrate these incredible volunteers and their tireless work to uphold the worth and dignity of all people, advocating for their right to health care and education.

As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, our hearts are full of gratitude for the incredible community health volunteers who give their time freely to provide life-saving care and education. These dedicated individuals have a heart for the most vulnerable—many of whom are women and children—bringing hope and loving care to their communities with passion and purpose.

On a recent site visit to our partners in Malawi, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, we asked volunteers why they continue to serve. Their overwhelming response? To make a difference in their communities. Through training provided by HealthEd Connect, they not only grow in their skills but also amplify their impact, creating healthier, stronger communities.

We are also deeply thankful for YOU—our supporters. Your generosity makes this work possible every single day. Because of you, volunteers can provide care, education, and support for orphans and vulnerable children. Together, we empower women and children through evidence-based health, education, and advocacy.

From all of us at HealthEd Connect: THANK YOU for making a difference!

Kafwa volunteers from the Luapula province of Zambia visit a long-time client who has benefited from their knowledge, experience and care.

Wasaidizi volunteers from the Democratic Republic of Congo receive training in using a blood pressure cuff. High blood pressure is a common health concern in their communities and with this support for their clients the volunteers can help them receive the assistance they need.

Sinkhani health workers receive training in first aid so they can respond to situations like this one.

In Mzimba, Malawi, 7-year-old Flora Chipeta suffered severe burns after falling into boiling water. With the hospital out of medication, a HealthEd Connect Sinkhani volunteer stepped in, bringing hope and healing.

Using traditional knowledge, she taught Flora’s family how to treat the burns with guava leaves to prevent infection. After five days, antibiotic ointment was applied and Flora made a full recovery! Her parents are deeply grateful for the care and compassion shown by the community health worker.

Your support of nonprofits like HealthEd Connect makes stories like Flora’s possible. Together, we bring healing and hope to communities around the world.