In June, ten healthcare volunteers from the Northwest traveled to two areas in Tanzania to provide free medical, dental, and vision care and preventive education.
Our Tanzanian support team joined us in offering care to the Maasai community of Selela Village, students and teachers at Tumaini Tutor School, and women participating in our Women's Business Empowerment Program in Mwanza, Tanzania.
"I am forever grateful for the care I received. For a long time, I struggled to eat due to painful teeth, but now I am relieved of the pain and happy to say goodbye to those five troublesome teeth. Also, I have been diagnosed with a pre-cancerous condition of the cervix and have been provided with education and a referral for treatment." Magdalena W., age 46
In addition to healthcare services, donor gifts provided 1,000 toothbrushes, 350 UV protective sunglasses, 75 pounds of vitamins, and 600 washable menstrual kits, including 100 for new mothers' postpartum use.
- Medical Needs Addressed in Healthcare & Education Partnership
Health & Hope Foundation collaborates closely with Dr. Grace Lemomo, co-founder of Naisulu Women's Health Organization. She leads our Maasai medical delivery team, working alongside our volunteer RNs. In addition, she conducts Maasai community classes on HIV Prevention, Family Planning, and the Risks of Female Genital Cutting. Patients in Selela ranged widely in age, from 2 months to 99 years, presenting a diverse array of medical needs often compounded by nutritional deficiencies.
- Saving Smiles!
"The smiles on the faces of my translator, Osbon, and my patient reflect the joy in my heart for the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life. Thank you for inviting me to participate in this mission". Dr. Bob Hughes, Mukilteo, WA
Preserving Teeth = Improved Health. For the first time, we achieved a higher rate of tooth preservation through fillings, sealants, cleanings, and fluoride treatments than the teeth we needed to extract!
- Vision Care - The Opportunity of Sight
Interchangeable lenses and frames allow us to customize prescriptions for near and far-sighted corrections. Given the prohibitive cost of eye surgery for many, 350 UV protective sunglasses protect against eye diseases and trauma while providing comfort for dry eyes and light sensitivity due to vitamin deficiency
"Seeing the blackboard, reading a book, or seeing a market sign is possible!" Aliza, age 10
- Access to Safe Water
Children collect household water from community taps contaminated with bacteria. Preventing waterborne gastrointestinal and urinary infections is a critical community health priority. We collaborate with local healthcare leaders, such as Andrew, a lab technician at Selela Dispensary, to provide ongoing education on microbiological water testing and treatment.
