Anstey is a health surveillance assistant (HSA) in Kwitanda, Malawi. She has worked as an HSA since 1999.  Anstey became an HSA because she wanted to help people. With a mission to increase health worker and overall health system capacity through improvements in distribution practices and management oversight, VillageReach is enabling HSAs like Anstey to serve a greater number of people in the community more efficiently and reliably. VillageReach supported Anstey’s training to certify her in the integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) – an international protocol of both preventative and curative measures to promote the well-being of children under-five.

One of Anstey’s primary responsibilities is to run a village clinic that is funded by VillageReach. The clinic supports four villages, treating cases of malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, and conjunctivitis. Every year, more than 6 million people in Malawi contract malaria. The infection kills nearly 800,000 children around the world every year, despite it being completely preventable and curable.

Thanks to your support, Mike, MSAF, and Terry, Anstey receives the training and supplies she needs to help the communities she serves, and these children and their families receive the healthcare and support they deserve.

Gladys is stationed in Dziwe, Malawi. She is a health surveillance assistant (HSA), and manages three villages – Sitima, Kasonya and Chipumi – serving nearly nine hundred people. With a mission to increase health worker and overall health system capacity through improvements in distribution practices and management oversight, VillageReach is enabling HSAs like Gladys to serve a greater number of people in the community more efficiently and reliably. Gladys is trained in maternal and neonatal health, and works with families in these villages to reduce deaths among mothers and infants.

In Malawi, more than one quarter of all childhood deaths are attributable to the neonatal period. The country’s under-five mortality rate is ranked 26^th highest in the world. To address this, VillageReach works to train and supply front-line health workers like Gladys. The support VillageReach provides for Gladys is especially useful for her community, where women may travel as far as 19 kilometers to seek maternal care. Gladys’ dedication as a front-line health worker helps reduce the distance between mothers and the support that they need to keep themselves and their children safe and healthy.

Thanks to your support, Will, MSAF, Brian, Christine, and Steven, Gladys receives the training and supplies she needs to help the communities she serves, and these children and their families receive the healthcare and support they deserve.

Agnes has been a health surveillance assistant (HSA) for ten years, working in Kwitanda, Malawi. With a mission to increase health worker and overall health system capacity through improvements in distribution practices and management oversight, VillageReach is enabling HSAs like Agnes to serve a greater number of people in the community more efficiently and reliably.   VillageReach provides training for Agnes and materials, including equipment and essential medicines that enable her to conduct regular clinics in villages she visits.

Agnes notes that village clinics “have allowed people in my village to get treatment for diseases that they would normally treat in their home,” and in doing so increases access to quality care in otherwise underserved communities.

Many of the patients Agnes sees are children, who commonly suffer from malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia. After Agnes sees a child at the clinic, she follows up three days later to check on the patient’s progress. If a child is still not well at that point, she will refer them to the health center for additional treatment. Agnes keeps a detailed record of all the visits not only to keep track of she needs to follow up with but also identify health trends in her community. With 10-12 patients every day, the accuracy and thoroughness of Agnes’ records enables her to work efficiently and effectively through each case, providing the most appropriate care for every child.

Thanks to your support, Agnes receives the training and supplies she needs to help the communities she serves, and these children and their families receive the healthcare and support they deserve.

Doris and her new bed net

Dear Michael,

Doris lives with her mother and two younger sisters in Chizimba village in Malawi. Her father has passed away, so her mother is the main provider of the family. Her mother does piece work in order to support the  family.

A household chore of Doris is to gather water daily for her family. Thank you, Michael, for donating a bed net to this family! Doris and her family no longer have to worry about mosquitos!

Michael, thank you for your support of Village Reach!

Dear James,

Francis is 11 years old and lives with his mother, two sisters, and two other relatives in a village called Chizimba, located in Malawi. His father passed away when he was younger.

Francis has attended primary school since he was seven. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer. James, thanks for your generous donation! Now, Francis and his family know they are safe from mosquitos!

Thank you, James, for your support of Village Reach!

Doris is given a bed net

Dear Molly,

Doris is 17 years old and lives in Malawi. Her mother passed away in 1992, and her father passed away shortly after in 1994. Doris lived with her grandmother until she was 12, when her grandmother passed away. Doris has been on her own ever since.

Despite these immense hardships, Doris has successfully finished high school! Now, she does piece work in order to make money!

Molly, thank you for your donation! Doris received a new bed net to keep her safe from malaria!

Mulalo Winesi happy with his new bed net

Dear Andrew,

Mulalo is ten years old, and lives with his grandmother and four other young relatives. They live in Ojesi village, in Malawi, where Mulalo attends elementary school.

Thanks to Andrew, Mulalo will be sleeping under his first bed net, and will have reliable protection from Malaria spreading mosquitoes!

Andrew, thank you for supporting Village Reach! Your donation is truly appreciated!

Ahamadu's new bed net

Dear Molly,

Ahamadu lives with his grandmother and four other children in Ojesi village, Malawi.

Close to 1 million people die from malaria each year. Of these deaths, 91% occur in Africa and 85% are children under five years of age. In Malawi, there are an estimated 8 million episodes of malaria per year.

Molly, thank you for supplying this family with a bed net to protect them from malaria spreading mosquitoes! Now, Ahamadu and his family can sleep comfortably knowing they are safe!

Bethel Karonga with her bed net

Dear Erin,

Bethel is five years old and lives with her mother and five other people in a village called Chizimba, located near Malawi.

Since her father passed away, her mother has worked in neighboring fields to support them. Thank you, Erin, for your kind donation! You have provided Bethel and her family the safety of a bed net!

Lonjezo with a new bed net

Dear Rajeev,

Lonjezo lives with his grandmother and three other children in Ojesi village in Malawi. Lonjezo is eleven years old and is attending primary school. Thank you Rajeev for providing Lonjezo and his family the protection of bed nets!

Your donation will keep this family safe from malaria and able to sleep through the night free from the harassment of mosquitos!