Social distancing in the classroom at Zamtan community school

Schools in Zambia have been in session for examination grade levels for one month now. For the three HealthEd Connect sister schools, this means grade 7 students have been practicing the new health guidelines advised by the national ministries of health and education to prevent transmission of COVID-19. This month, grades 5 and 6 will return to school and the now "veteran" grade 7 students will model all the health safety measures for their younger schoolmates.

We have been so impressed with all of the ways the teachers, community health workers, caregivers, and other community volunteers have shown leadership in action to model preparation, flexibility, safety, and collective concern for one another amid uncertain times.

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Students washing hands upon entry to school premises and wearing masks throughout the day

Special THANKS to the Kafwa community health workers for making masks for every returning student and teacher

Students receiving masks upon return to school

Volunteers and teachers in Zamtan making masks in preparation for school reopening.

Mask making is in full swing with our health worker partners and school teams in Zambia. Residents are required to wear a mask when going to public places. Students and teachers returning to school on June 1st (starting with examination grades 7, 9, and 12) must wear masks and follow new health guidelines. A "new normal," as stated by the ministry of education. Everyone is working together to ensure the health and safety of the children and community.

Ireen from Kasompe making masks for the returning students using the NEW sewing machines recently purchased for the new tailoring program for the school and Kafwa. These sewing machines could not have come at a better time! 

Jane in Luapula trying on one of the masks she made for her home health clients. She also thoughtfully shared, "I wish I could send some for you!"

Today we celebrate the 50th anniversary of #EarthDay. This place we all call "home" is billions of years young, nurturing creation for all the generations which came before us, and we hope many more to follow. So let's all take good care of our Mother Earth!

We received an update from the Head Teacher at Mapalo Young Peace Makers School that some former pupils had volunteered to return to their old primary school to care for the environment and clean the surroundings. Schools are closed in Zambia, like many other parts of the world, due to COVID-19. But these young people offered their service to their former school, which had nurtured their growth and development. [P.S.. notice their good social distancing while working on this team effort!]

We look forward to the time when these schools will be filled with eager learners again! But until then, we wish for everyone to follow preventative measures to stay healthy!

Pinkey, Nepal coordinator, provides a mother with soap for hand washing as a preventative measure against COVID-19.

April 7 of each year marks the celebration of World Health Day. This special day seems to have increased importance this year, as the whole world is trying to stop the spread of COVID-19. Nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers are on the front lines of the COVID-19 response - providing treatment and care, collecting data, and addressing fears. And community health workers, like those trained by HealthEd Connect, have been sharing valuable information and preventative measures with their communities, providing a bridge between the community and health professionals.

Our health worker partners got out into their communities to share education about COVID-19, and soap for hand washing, before the virus began to spread in their countries. We know that this sharing of knowledge and resources to empower community members will ultimately save lives.

Today, and every day, we recognize the incredible strength, compassion, and determination of health workers who play a vital role in public health.

Last week we asked for your help to raise funds to provide soap to all 56 of the communities where our volunteer health worker partners serve as a key preventative measure against the spread of coronavirus. Your response was incredible! We feel very grateful to report that we raised $6,605 for soap!

We have sent funds to our partner sites and representatives have shared their deep appreciation for your support. Just to note a few: Pinkey, from Nepal responded: “Thank you so much for donation to buy soap for Nepalese community. Thank you for great heart though we all are facing this critical situation.” Mumba, head teacher at Mapalo Community School of Peace, shared: “We are very grateful for this timely support you have rendered to all of us, the school and Kafwa. I want to thank you most sincerely for the gesture on behalf of everyone!”

Providing soap, along with credible health information about coronavirus, helps empower our health worker partners and schools to feel more prepared in facing this challenge.

What measures are we taking for COVID-19?

HealthEd Connect is continuing to do what we do best: connecting people with evidence-based health information through community education.

We have been sharing credible information from the CDC and WHO with our volunteer health worker partners and community schools. Concentrating on the most critical information to make resources easier to disseminate in their communities and beyond.

We're asking for your help to ensure that the communities we serve have the resources needed to help mitigate spread of the virus. Health workers are reminding everyone they meet about proper hand washing and other measures to reduce the spread of germs. However, many cannot afford to buy soap.

Please help us raise $7,000 to buy soap for all the communities we serve. Our volunteer health worker partners serve 56 communities in Zambia, Malawi, D.R. Congo, and Nepal. We anticipate a long-term response for COVID-19. These funds will allow the health workers to purchase soap for all of the communities now and for months to come.

Donate today to provide soap to the communities we serve.

For "Purpose of Gift," select "Community Health Worker Programs." All contributions allocated to CHW Programs this month will go to supply soap to the communities where our health worker partners serve.

We received an exciting update from our Sinkhani health worker representative, Jere, about a meeting with the village chiefs who donated the land to build the new community center in Malawi. He shared:

“18 Chiefs and all Sinkhani Volunteers from Mzimba attended the meeting. The agenda of the meeting was letting them know that building is now completed, and again all chiefs and their people should be the eyes at the building of looking how is taken care of, so that no one should be found to destroy the building neither stealing things that are found in the building. All Chiefs welcomed the Agenda and agreed one another that they will make sure that everything is in place and well taken care… it will start to be used for as Under Five Clinic. We also told them that the building and the whole plot is now call Sinkhani Community Center. The activities that will be done at the Sinkhani Community Center are as Kazomba under five clinic, Women and Youth Advocacy. The Chiefs agreed with us that every Development that will come at Community center is welcome and they are all ready to take part.”

You know that feeling…when you’ve worked hard, done your best, and it shows! Feels great, right?! That’s how the head teachers are feeling at each of our community schools, because ALL…that’s right…100% of the 7th grade students passed their exams! We’re so happy for all of the students and their hard work! And so impressed with the way the teachers have prepared the 7thgraders for this important milestone.

In Zambia, the school year matches the calendar year, January to December, with government testing at the end of the year. The most important test-taking years are at the end of grade 7 (to move up to grade 8), grade 9 (to move up to grade 10), and grade 12 (to graduate). Our three community school partners in the Copperbelt of Zambia offer grades K–7 for the most vulnerable children who otherwise would not be able to attend school. With support in the classroom – learning to read, write, and do math – as well as outside the classroom with grief support programs, girls achievement program, and clubs – children are empowered with the skills and social/emotional support they need to succeed.

We congratulate each one of the 7th graders (165 students) on their accomplishment! And we commend the teachers and volunteer health workers who have supported and prepared the students to reach for their goals.