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Jacinta is a young mother who recently gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Emali, Kenya. She is a regular patient of Ann’s – the Community Health Worker (CHWs) we’ve introduced you to in past Field Updates. According to Jacinta, Ann was a huge help to her during her recent pregnancy. CHWs provide important health information to their community, provide basic health services, and refer more complicated cases to a health facility or hospital for treatment. Like so many, Jacinta says she struggled through the height of COVID-19 in March: her husband couldn’t find work, her kids were home from school, and she was pregnant: “Our house is not that big. We managed, but it wasn’t easy. It was hard no matter what we did. It was expensive to stay at home too. Suddenly, we had to buy soap, sanitizer, masks and extra water for washing.” Despite being pregnant, Jacinta...

Seven months ago, life for 40-year-old Burhani felt peaceful and safe. Living in Humera, Ethiopia, Burhani owned a small retail store and the business was prosperous. The conditions in the city were stable and his store was bringing in enough income to provide for his wife and one-year-old son. But then war broke out. In the first week of November 2020, the situation escalated dramatically. Armed conflict erupted in Ethiopia, between federal and provincial forces in the northern region where Burhani’s hometown is located. Burhani explained, “We woke up on the morning of the seventh November to the sounds of cannons and gunfire everywhere.” He described the horrors he witnessed. Dead bodies piled in the streets. Burhani was forced to escape Humera. With his wife and son, he fled his house and left the city quickly. “We didn’t have time to take anything with us, except for the clothes we...

Rebecca Okyere, 63, began having problems with her eyes four years ago. “It felt like there were sand particles in my eyes. It really disturbed me and when I visited the hospital, the doctor said I needed surgery, but it was too expensive for me. It was great news when I heard about this outreach program. When the surgery was performed, they covered my eye with the patch so I couldn’t see. The patch has been removed today and I can see better than before. I am so happy that I didn’t go blind so I can continue to sell my porridge and not depend on my relatives to take care of me.” Rebecca was overjoyed when her eye patch was removed after cataract surgery at Cape Coast Teaching Hospital in Ghana. Not only has her eyesight been restored, but also her livelihood and hope for the future.