Today is a day to celebrate girls around the world! Recognized by the United Nations, International Day of the Girl brings into focus the challenges and barriers girls face on their way to empowerment. Girls face unique educational, economic, and humanitarian gaps. It is the responsibility of all people to uplift girls through education, access to health and reproductive care, and advocate for their rights!

“Adolescent girls have the right to a safe, educated, and healthy life, not only during these critical formative years, but also as they mature into women. If effectively supported during the adolescent years, girls have the potential to change the world – both as the empowered girls of today and as tomorrow’s workers, mothers, entrepreneurs, mentors, household heads, and political leaders. An investment in realising the power of adolescent girls upholds their rights today and promises a more equitable and prosperous future, one in which half of humanity is an equal partner in solving the problems of climate change, political conflict, economic growth, disease prevention, and global sustainability.” - United Nations on International Day of the Girl Child

HealthEd Connect is proud to uplift girls every day - from scholarships for girls in Zambia to reproductive health education for girls in Nepal and many programs in between. We are grateful to YOU for making it possible to empower girls around the world!

We are thrilled to announce on this day, World Teacher’s Day, that all of our teachers at Mapalo Young Peacemaker School have received their COVID vaccinations! Led by the community health workers, the teachers readily chose to get the vaccine and protect themselves from the worst of the pandemic. Mapalo head teacher, Mumba, wrote this:

“It is gratifying to inform you that all the teachers received their vaccine in the name of Johnson-Johnson for Covid-19. As a matter of importance you will appreciate that in our quest to excute our duties we interface learners everyday who come from various homes and this render us vulnerable in view of this deadly pandemic.

We all received the vaccine and thanks for having encouraged to take the vaccine due to the fact there were so many myths surrounding this vaccine but with the information you extended to us have motivated all of us friends to take the vaccine with easy. The Kafwa led the way in the first place and now all the teachers have been vaccinated!”

Join us in congratulating our teachers on their vaccinations AND on being wonderful role models for the students at our schools!

Ablution block at Kasompe Community School of Peace

At Kasompe Community School of Peace, the ablution block is nearing completion! Aside from a few minor finishing touches, the block is ready for use! A water tower, borehole (well), and septic system have been installed, while the block itself houses eight toilets, two showers, and two handwashing stations.

Students and teachers will have up-to-date, safe, and sanitary facilities for their school, and have engaged in training in how to properly maintain the facilities. They are so excited! And we are all so grateful to the Rotary grant that made this possible! Special thanks to the members of Kansas City Rotary Club 13 and Kitwe North Rotary Club for their combined efforts and support for this clean water, sanitation, and hygiene project, and to our Kasompe school board for working closely to see this project come to fruition!

Backup latrines

Walls are going up at the community center in Mulundu!

In Mulundu, Zambia, a community center is taking shape! Kafwa leader, Jane, and project coordinator, Musans, have done a fantastic job making sure that things are running smoothly. Mothers who are Kafwa clients and children from the local Isubilo (orphan support) groups are coming to visit and pitch in with tangible excitement!

Building a community center is no small feat, and we want to thank YOU for helping to provide this wonderful space in Mulundu! Soon the community can gather here for health education, literacy, grief support, and recreation! It will be filled with the sounds of singing, laughter, reading, and stories of hope and healing!

Written account and attached photos from Sangeeta’s time assisting Rewati Roman Neupane

We recently received news from RN and community health worker, Sangeeta Poudel! Sangeeta has been working hard at the hospital throughout this pandemic, but also spends her spare time out in the community, providing compassionate care and sharing potentially life-saving information. Below is her written record of one of her recent experiences with an at-home client.

“In the mid time of Covid pandemic in Nepal, Everyone is afraid and situation was so painful. At the same time my neighbor came to me and asked to visit his father who was suffering from fever and cough. I could not deny his request though all the symptoms were similar to Covid-19, but I decided to visit him because I had PPE set provided by HHN [HealthEd Connect]. After becoming safe by wearing set I went to visit that house, I checked fever of him and it seems like Covid, I suggested to check PCR once and stay in home isolation. After two days they went for checking and it came positive as I guess before.

After that again they came to me and visit them because they don’t want to admit in hospital by hearing condition of hospitals, As their father is 87 years senior citizen. I asked them to provide PPE set to visit them regularly, so that I can ago safely. After that I went there and support him psychologically but only that I applied all the medicine recommended by doctors. I took the temperature and oxygen salutation and suggest them to admit in hospitals if condition become worst. And good thing is that he is getter better day by day after taking care daily. Finally within three weeks his report was Negative. They are so happy and thankful to me.” -Sangeeta Poudel

Thank you for supporting the effort and care that our community health workers like Sangeeta share with their community members!

World-wide, illiteracy is its own epidemic, “disproportionally affecting 773 million non-literate young people and adults”. Today, as we celebrate International Literacy Day, we want to highlight the important efforts of our teachers and community health workers as they work to make sure that not only the children, but also the community members have access to literacy education!

In Malawi, literacy programs are taking shape in the new Sinkhani community centers, available to people of all ages. At our sister schools in Zambia, students receive a strong literacy foundation and many teachers provide after-class lessons to support children who need more time. And community health workers who have lacked access to literacy education in the past are able to take classes thanks to development awards offered by HealthEdConnect.

Kafwa health workers were the first to advocate for the organization of community schools so that orphans and vulnerable children would not be left behind in their ability to learn foundational tools for life, such as how to read, write, and do math, among many important aspects of education. “Without education, our children will have no future” was the rallying cry by caregivers and community members to establish our schools. And what an impact this has made in the lives of thousands of children and the communities surrounding them! 

Literacy empowers individuals and provides capabilities to lead healthy and sustainable lives. Thank you for supporting our community health workers, teachers, and learners of all ages as we move towards a more literate future!

As the first line of advocacy and health education in their Zambian communities, the Kafwa understand the importance of nutrition on overall health. Since 48% of people in Zambia cannot meet their required calorie intake, malnutrition is something the Kafwa women see often.

To combat this, the women went around their community to distribute much-needed food! Joyce Ngosa and Joyce Songwe detailed this trip, saying:

“Last Friday as Kafwa women we were visiting our clients and distributed food stuffs to them...
We gave out mealie meal, fish and groundnuts. Our clients were very happy for the blessing of food.”

We are so grateful to our colleagues for addressing immediate needs and providing equitable access to advocacy and health education!

Emmanuel Mumba, head teacher at Mapalo Young Peace Makers Community School, knows how important it is to be a force for good in someone’s life. After becoming a double orphan, Mumba had siblings and cousins to care for. He turned to his pastor for guidance, who told him that the school was looking for teachers and he should apply.

We are grateful that this connection led Mumba into the calling of a teacher at one of our sister schools!

A leader in many facets, Mumba spends each day advocating for vulnerable youth and empowering them to be their best and work towards brighter futures! Read more about Mumba in his own words here.

To support the uplifting work of our teachers and school programs in Zambia, you can make a donation here. Thank you for empowering leaders like Mumba!