While visiting our colleagues in Africa in June, we had the privilege of honoring two leaders who have served over thirty years as volunteer community health workers! In the photo you can see Chama Chola (left) from the DRC Wasaidizi group and Gabriel Muposhi (right) from the Luapula, Zambia Kafwa group. These special volunteers were among the first health workers our co-founder, Sherri Kirkpatrick (center), trained in this area and they have faithfully served ever since. Seeing her mother’s dedication to the community, Chama’s daughter has also joined the Wasaidizi as a second-generation health worker!

Sadly, however, our friend Gabriel passed away a few weeks ago. Gabriel had a kind and gentle disposition and he was highly respected in the community for his dedication to uplifting the women, children, and families around him. He was also a proud Kafwa volunteer, and enjoyed opportunities to learn (you can see him proudly holding a health worker training certificate, pictured below). Gabriel was lovingly honored by his family, friends, fellow Kafwa, and HealthEd Connect colleagues from afar. We were thankful to have the opportunity to recognize his years of dedicated service publicly while we were together in June. While we are deeply saddened to have lost a friend and fellow community advocate like Gabriel, we are grateful for our dedicated health worker colleagues like him who have mentored younger health workers and empowered community members.

Honoring 30 years of service