Healthed Connect

HEALTHED CONNECT EMPOWERS WOMEN AND CHILDREN THROUGH EVIDENCE-BASED HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY PROGRAMS.

HEALTHED CONNECT SUPPORTS PROGRAMS IN FOUR COUNTRIES: ZAMBIA, MALAWI, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO, AND NEPAL. THE REAL HEROES IN EACH COUNTRY ARE THE VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS (CHWS). THESE ARE THE VILLAGE WOMEN (AND SEVERAL MEN) WITH THE DESIRE TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. IN 2021 HEALTHED CONNECT SUPPORTED INITIATIVES THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF VOLUNTEER CHWS AND SCHOOL PROGRAMS. DURING THE YEAR, 68,327 CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS OF AGE WERE WEIGHED AND MONITORED TO ENSURE GROWTH; 40,926 BABIES WERE IMMUNIZED; 71,396 MOTHERS WERE TAUGHT ABOUT HEALTH, NUTRITION, SANITATION, AND FAMILY PLANNING; AND 2,082 HOME CARE VISITS WERE MADE. ELEVEN NURSING SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AWARDED. IN OUR SCHOOL PROGRAMS, 1,446 ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN WERE ENROLLED BETWEEN OUR THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS; 5,631 BOOKS WERE CHECKED OUT FROM THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES; AND 60 HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AWARDED TO GIRLS AS A PART OF THE MIND THE GAP (GIRLS ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM) INIATIVE ENSURING THAT GIRLS HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND SECONDARY SCHOOL WITHOUT FEAR OF THE COSTS. WE DO NOT CREATE POLICY, BUT ADVOCACY THROUGH EDUCATION AND THROUGH THE CHWS IS INTEGRAL TO WHAT WE DO. CHWS ARE THE PRIMARY HEALTH ADVOCATES FOR THEIR CLIENTS. WE ALSO ADVOCATE FOR EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF WORLD- CHANGERS, THE CAREGIVERS WHO WILL RAISE THEM, AND THE COMMUNITY HEROES WHO SUPPORT BOTH GROUPS ON THEIR JOURNEY TO A MORE EDUCATED, EMPOWERED FUTURE. VILLAGE CHIEFS RESPECT OUR VOLUNTEER CHWS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE IMPACT THEY ARE MAKING IN THE LIVES OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN. CHIEFS IN SEVERAL AREAS HAVE GIFTED LAND TO THE CHWS SO THEY CAN HAVE A PHYSICAL LOCATION TO DO THE WORK THEY LOVE, AND THESE HEALTH CENTERS ARE QUICKLY BECOMING THE PRIDE OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.