Saving Time, Saves Lives

Rabbecca is passionate about sensitizing her community to health issues, and dedicated to saving lives. Behind this commitment is a deep understanding of the pain of losing a child. Years ago, Rabbecca and her husband were forced to walk more than twenty miles over dirt tracks to the nearest health facility, after their own child fell gravely ill. Tragically, by the time they arrived, it was too late. It was only after receiving CHV training that Rabecca realized the symptoms – diarrhea and vomiting – were classic signs of severe malaria.

Rabbecca is now a Community Healthcare Volunteer (CHV) working in Zambia, trained through a program established by our partner Transaid and USAID. Her goal is quite simply to save lives. By spreading information and reaching more homes, she hopes to educate families about general health and hygiene practices. A similar program was established in Madagascar where our bikes are helping to support health workers and the surrounding community.

I personally lost a child, and I wouldn't want it to happen to anyone else. This has motivated me to save the lives of children in the community. When I attend to a child and the child gets better, I feel I have done my job correctly. I have children myself, and I see children being born all the time in my community, so I know I will never stop volunteering as I need to keep saving lives.

Rabbecca, Community Healthcare Volunteer

Rabbecca, in her role as a CHV, educates her community about the danger signs of severe malaria, and administers a malaria pre-treatment called rectal artesunate (RAS) to those with suspected severe malaria. She also participates in the Emergency Transport Scheme, which allows her to transport suspected severe malaria cases to the nearest health facility via bicycle ambulance.Her district participated in the pilot implementation of this malaria program and the results are staggering. Child mortality from severe malaria was reduced by 96%. These remarkable results led to the scale-up of the program in four more districts in Zambia.

Content submitted through Transaid. For more information visit: http://www.transaid.org/