From Distance to Impact: “Empowering Community Health Through Mobility”

From Distance to Impact: “Empowering Community Health Through Mobility”

My name is Mungo Philip Dede, a Community Health Worker (CHW) from Mwalukwa Village in
Shinyanga District Council, Shinyanga Region. I was trained by Amref Health Africa in Tanzania under the Thamini Uzazi Salama Project, where my role focuses on delivering essential community-based health services, particularly to women and children. Mwalukwa Village is vast, comprising 592 households, and I am currently the only trained Community Health Worker (CHW) serving this large population. As a result,
reaching households especially those located far apart has traditionally required significant time, energy, and financial resources.

However, I am deeply grateful to Amref Health Africa, through the Thamini Uzazi Salama Project, and the World Bicycle Relief for providing me with a Buffalo bicycle. Before receiving the
bicycle, I was only able to reach an average of 22 households per day due to distance and logistical
challenges. With this support, my mobility has significantly improved, enabling me to reach up to 43
households per month and extend my services to remote areas more efficiently within a single day. This
transformation has greatly enhanced my capacity to serve the community effectively.

During one of my routine outreach visits, after being supported with a bicycle, I met Lucia Eliasi (30) and
her husband, Shuda Kija Shalimba (70), from Mwazezema Hamlet in Mwalukwa Village. Lucia had been
pregnant seven times, and sadly, one of her children had passed away. In her previous pregnancies, she
typically began attending Antenatal Care (ANC) services very late, often around the seventh month.
During her most recent pregnancy, I provided her with health education on the importance of early ANC
attendance, regular clinic visits, and proper preparation for facility-based delivery. With improved
follow-up made possible through my mobility, I was able to continue supporting and encouraging her.
Lucia adhered to the advice and began attending ANC services early and consistently. As a result of
these efforts, Lucia successfully delivered healthy twin daughters at a health facility.

Lucia shared her appreciation, saying “I am thankful to Mungo for visiting and supporting me throughout my pregnancy until I safely delivered my twin daughters. They are now healthy, as you can see. I have learned the importance of early ANC booking within the first one to two months of pregnancy recognizing danger signs like bleeding, and the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months.”

Lucia shared her appreciation, saying: “I am thankful to Mungo for visiting and supporting me throughout my pregnancy until I safely delivered my twin daughters. They are now healthy, as you can see. I have learned the importance of early ANC booking within the first one to two months of pregnancy recognizing danger signs like bleeding, and the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months.”