Muyunda, a respected leader in his rural community of Zambia, knows first-hand how critical well-trained and equipped community health workers are in sharing the promise of health.
Seeking dignified healthcare is a burden for Muyunda and his neighbours who live in a remote, rural area in Zambia without sufficient healthcare resources. If a child falls ill, many of us could simply drive a short distance to a trusted health facility. But for a mother in Muyunda’s community, a trip to the hospital might require a day’s journey on foot or, if they can afford it, a bumpy ride in the back of an oxcart.
Because of this reality, Muyunda has seen illnesses caused by contaminated water, malnutrition, and malaria take the lives of far too many people, especially children.
CHANGE BEGINS WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS
A day in the life of a community health worker is usually spent on the road, traveling from home to home to deliver lifesaving care to neighbours near and far. Trained and equipped by A2HealthZ they build trust with the families they support, carrying with them basic but lifesaving tools like malaria test kits and specialized armbands to measure for malnutrition. Sometimes community health workers travel by foot, which limits the number of people they can reach. That’s why the gift of a bicycle is so important. With a bicycle, community health workers can travel farther and faster.
With a bicycle, community health workers save more lives.
Community health workers also host regular health clinics where families are invited to join them for wellness checks and knowledge sharing. It was at one of these special gatherings where we met community leader Muyunda.
Muyunda had spent the day observing community health workers Mike and Mwaka weigh children and check for signs of malnutrition. He saw them put their A2HealthZ training and equipment to use, assessing and administering malaria tests when necessary.
“We used to have a lot of malaria in our community,” reflected Muyunda. “But A2HealthZ and the Ministry of Health have helped us, and the malaria has gone down.”
Later the mothers joined together, some sitting on colourful blankets and others perched on a long tree trunk. Their attention was focused on Mike and Mwaka as they shared important ways to protect the health of their little children at home.
Before the day ended, Muyunda shared, “May God bless A2HealthZ for the help they bring the communities.”
Muyunda finds comfort knowing that community health workers Mike and Mwaka will continue serving the children and families they met today during future home visits. The health and wellbeing of his community depends on it—now and for generations to come.
