The Challenge...
National statistics illustrate the high level of poverty in Malawi, as well as highlighting the huge lack of access to even basic health services. For a rural village, such as Ruarwe, the situation is even more desperate.
There is a stark lack of infrastructure in the area with no electricity, sanitation system, roads or phone network. Health services are limited and development is slow. It is easy for the population of such a remote village to become the ‘forgotten’ people of Malawi. And yet a great proportion of Malawi’s population live in rural areas like Ruarwe…
Before 2011 Ruarwe had not had a fully operational health centre for many years. During that time villagers had to travel exceptionally long distances usually by foot just to seek basic medical attention. The result of this is that people were falling sick and in many cases dying of otherwise preventable diseases. Despite vast global efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals changes are slow to reach areas like Ruarwe, which continues to suffer high levels of poverty and hunger, a high burden of disease, limited access to education and inadequate maternal and child health services.
Phunzira's Health Initiative Mission Statement...
To bring basic health care to rural communities in north Malawi by establishing local and mobile clinics. Our vision is to improve the standard of living through education, community empowerment, and initiating sustainable, innovative health development projects.
Aims & Objectives
» To ease poverty and suffering through a community-driven holistic approach to health
» To improve basic primary health care services in the area by assisting with the acquisition of equipment, knowledge and manpower
» To enable better access to health care services by improving local infrastructure, offering mobile clinics and supporting remote health care providers
» To offer appropriate and targeted health education with a focus on communicable diseases (eg. HIV and AIDS, malaria), nutrition, sanitation, maternal health and family planning
» To develop and implement sustainable projects which will improve the health of rural communities in the area and focus on community empowerment
» To work in partnership with local people in order to monitor and evaluate the impact of health-related initiatives run by Phunzira in the area
» To establish and maintain links both within Malawi and internationally in order to develop health-related projects in the Ruarwe zone, as well as to promote the region as a target area for further development