With heightened concerns about the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, health worker volunteer partner Sangeeta Poudel sprang into action to share evidence-based information from the CDC and other reputable sources about known causes and prevention methods. She held health “camps” in two locations in her area of Biratnagar, Nepal. The camps covered topics including coronavirus prevention, how to treat other respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia and asthma, and the importance of hand washing to prevent diarrhea and spread of disease. Sangeeta also used her expertise as a professional nurse to check blood pressure and consult on other matters addressed by attendees.

Empowering the community with awareness and evidence-based health information. This makes a very positive impact in community health!

Wasaidizi health workers in DRC

Our friends and co-workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continue to bring great ministry and health to their communities.

Josephine Kipampe, the Wasaidizi health worker supervisor, recently reported on 3 people who received their assistance.

Kabwe Mwansa, an 85-year-old woman, was abandoned by her family because they suspected her of being a witch. She became very ill so the Wasaidizi took her to the hospital and acquired the needed treatment.

In the village of Mwaba, a 26 year-old woman. Marie Ilunga, went into labor on the path when she was walking back from her farm. She was with her husband who ran to the center to call Wasaidizi Kinunka to help his wife. Kinunka took a delivery kit and ran fast to help the woman deliver the baby on the path. Kinunka then took the mother and the baby to the health center for care.

In the village of Kiba, Chama Chola treated a 45-year-old man, Mulenda John, who was severely burned from hot water. Chama treated him with guava leaf antiseptic for 10 days and then treated him with triple antibiotic ointment. The wound is now drying and healed. His wife sends great thanks to HealthEd Connect for providing the ointment.

All in a day's work in the Congo...

Another successful year! The Girls Achievement Program (GAP) scholars returned last month to Young Peace Makers School (YPM) to celebrate their most recent success. Another year completed in their journey toward a high school diploma.

When the girls graduated from the 7th grade, they received a HealthEd Connect scholarship for five years of high school. A reality most had never dreamed of. Now they envision careers in medicine, teaching, and accounting. We are so proud of their achievements! You go Girls!

What would you do for a piece of chicken? Or a link of sausage? These kids get up early in the morning and line up at the cook shack before the meal is even prepared. Why? For many of them, this is the only meat they will taste all year.

Food just to fill the tummy is the often un-met goal. The porridge received at school is frequently the only meal for the day. This is especially true this year with Zambia experiencing a drought and crops drying up. Even the famed Victoria Falls has only a trickle of water. This special meal and day is the annual Christmas celebration the children in the schools have come to anticipate with eagerness and joy. The head master, Emmanuel Mumba reported that, "The program was characterized with the following activities; singing, poetry's, sketches and story telling. In all these presentations the importance of education and healthy living were the main ideas depicted. We had a positive involvement of the "Parents committee" ,board management and Kafwa in the preparations of the meals! There was rice, nsima, sausage's', vegetables,chickens and shake and sip(maheu) as meals.

Oh, yes. Please note the other treasured item they received. A large bottle of maheu, a sweetened yogurt drink, that the children are proudly displaying in the picture. Every child enjoys a decadent sweet.

From our Kafwa Supervisor in Luapula, Zambia.

Jane Chibwe

Dear special friends.

Thank you so much for the best wishes for Christmas.

If we see the mirror, we see the best creation of God.you are our .... travel agents who has already fixed our destination .

Thank you that you have given us a privilege to learn how to share and also to help the needs.

Thanks, wish you all the best.

Happy blessed Christmas.

JANE chibwe.

[Jane is hoping to finish her 12th grade diploma this year and simultaneously begin a nursing program. She's providing amazing leadership as a Kafwa in Luapula and we wish her all success!]

We are absolutely a glitter and a twitter with joy this Christmas thanks to you, our donors!

This is our best year ever because of your generosity! Our hearts are overflowing with appreciation and gratitude to you, our supporters and champions, who make it possible to touch the lives of vulnerable women and children.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and the Happiest of New Years!

The HealthEd Connect Team

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Looking for the perfect gift for a special someone? If you want to provide a gift that gives both to your special person and to the HealthEd Connect health workers, here's a great choice! Jane, one of the Kafwa health workers in Zambia, proudly calls it the Dedication Book since it's dedicated to the health workers.

Back cover excerpt: “This is a heart-warming story of friendships across cultures, a sobering confrontation with abject poverty, a gut-wrenching account of the impact of AIDS, and innumerable humorous incidents encountered during years of [Sherri and Jac's] international travel.”

We can even send you a personalized signed copy if you tell us who you'd like to honor.

Just click here (or copy and paste in your browser) and we'll immediately get a copy on its way to you: Order Book

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Take a good look at this picture. In addition to the smiliing women, there are two curious creatures that can't believe their eyes. The goats, which also live in this little home in Nepal, were curious about the new gadget in their kitchen. I hope they appreciate the fact it means less smoke in their eyes!. Two vented stoves were installed in Biratnagar Nepal this month.

One of the men creatively rigged up the external pipes to take the smoke away while the women eagerly demonstrated this new convenience. Sangeeta (right), our Soyamsebika health worker in that area, will be soliciting feedback from the women and monitoring the use of the new stoves before we expand to install stoves in additional homes.

According to the thirdpole.net new research links smoke from cook stoves to high levels of stunted growth among children. With 66% of households in the country using biomass fuels, the exposure to toxic smoke is rampant.

Knowing the inhalation of the smoke creates life-threatening health problems in Nepal, we are jubilant to have taken this first step to address this problem.

For $200 you can sponsor a stove.