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Medical Students
We at STH are committed to doing whatever it takes to improve health outcomes for Zambia's rural poor. That's why we provide scholarships to promising medical and nursing students committed to working in Zambia's rural areas following graduation. Our first two scholarship students, Florence and Christopher (pictured, right), are currently training to be Clinic Officers at Zambia's Chreso University. They are approaching their third and final year of training. As Clinic Officers they will be running their own clinics and essentially working as primary care physicians out in the community. They are both incredibly hard workers and continue to make us proud with their excellent grades and positive feedback from school administrators. In 2019 we plan on offering scholarships to additional medical and nursing students, and we look forward to sharing more information with our donors soon. Sam Cross Spread the Health, Inc. 20th November, 2018 Nyawa Solar Project
Here at STH, our goal is to improve health outcomes for those in need in rural Zambia through multiple avenues, including, but not limited to, improving clinic infrastructure and equipment. Therefore, we were very happy to expand our efforts to the Nyawa Clinic within Zambia’s Kazungula District. While the clinic is both staffed and well-managed, it remains off-grid and has run into frequent power-related issues. By partnering with the Zambian Ministry of Health, we hope to solve this problem with the installation of an updated solar power system. Too often in Zambia, well-intentioned projects are not maintained over time, rendering them ineffective. With that in mind, this project is not merely an installation of a solar system. Rather, the focus is both on getting the system up and running, and on its maintenance to ensure long-term function. By adding a stable power supply to a clinic that is already staffed with great workers, we believe that the Nyawa clinic will continue to help even more patients far into the future. We are happy to report that through our partnership with the Zambian Ministry of Health, the installation of this system has already begun and is going to be finished very soon. Pictures of the progress can be seen in the photos to the right. This is just the first step in what we know to be a worthwhile and effective project. The next steps will be the continued monitoring and maintenance of this solar power system in the coming months and years. We will continue to identify projects that will help to promote better health outcomes for patients, whether that be through staffing, equipment purchases, or infrastructure development. None of this could be accomplished without the ongoing support of our partners and donors, for which we are very grateful. Stay tuned here for updates on this project and future projects at Spread the Health. Steven Lowry Spread the Health, Inc. October 9th, 2016 |
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Publication
We are excited to report that our research manuscript entitled, "Identifying Factors for Worker Motivation in Zambia's Rural Health Facilities", was recently accepted for publication in the Journal of Healthcare for the Poor and Underserved. This is a big step forward for STH as a group.
The groundwork for this project was completed in the summer in 2014. Together with workers from Zambia's Ministry of Health (including my good friend seen in the photo on the right, Orbrie Chewe, Zambia's Principal Epidemiologist), we traveled throughout Zambia speaking to dozens of rural health workers. Our goal was to identify what factors would best motivate these workers to remain and work in Zambia's rural communities. Workers were given surveys and were interviewed, and the results were intriguing. It was no surprise that workers identified salary level as being a major motivating factor. However, a number of other factors were shown to be of equal or greater importance to workers. Access to additional training opportunities was strongly desired, as were improvements to clinic infrastructure and equipment. Overall, the information gathered suggests that a number of factors will motivate rural health workers and may induce them to remain stationed in rural areas.
Our major focus as an organization has always been to improve the health of rural Zambians by keeping rural health facilities staffed. These results are already being used to guide our work here at STH. They are already being used by Zambia's Ministry of Health to guide policy. After publication, it is our hope that they will guide the work of other international organizations focused on rural health care as well.
Sam Cross
President, Spread the Health, Inc.
June 18th, 2016
We are excited to report that our research manuscript entitled, "Identifying Factors for Worker Motivation in Zambia's Rural Health Facilities", was recently accepted for publication in the Journal of Healthcare for the Poor and Underserved. This is a big step forward for STH as a group.
The groundwork for this project was completed in the summer in 2014. Together with workers from Zambia's Ministry of Health (including my good friend seen in the photo on the right, Orbrie Chewe, Zambia's Principal Epidemiologist), we traveled throughout Zambia speaking to dozens of rural health workers. Our goal was to identify what factors would best motivate these workers to remain and work in Zambia's rural communities. Workers were given surveys and were interviewed, and the results were intriguing. It was no surprise that workers identified salary level as being a major motivating factor. However, a number of other factors were shown to be of equal or greater importance to workers. Access to additional training opportunities was strongly desired, as were improvements to clinic infrastructure and equipment. Overall, the information gathered suggests that a number of factors will motivate rural health workers and may induce them to remain stationed in rural areas.
Our major focus as an organization has always been to improve the health of rural Zambians by keeping rural health facilities staffed. These results are already being used to guide our work here at STH. They are already being used by Zambia's Ministry of Health to guide policy. After publication, it is our hope that they will guide the work of other international organizations focused on rural health care as well.
Sam Cross
President, Spread the Health, Inc.
June 18th, 2016
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Namumu Toilets
From the very beginning, we at STH have been focused on keeping Zambia's rural health facilities staffed with trained health professionals. All too often, organizations will come through Zambia constructing clinics and donating equipment without considering staffing issues. Clinics are often left behind understaffed, or in some cases not staffed at all. At STH, we know that keeping workers in these facilities is critical to providing quality care to patients in these communities. We continue to provide both financial and non-financial incentives for workers to motivate them to remain in these areas. That being said, if other needs arise in our partner health facilities we address them. At the Namumu Clinic, STH Project Manager Edgar Mwape conducted hundreds of patient interviews, and patients complained repeatedly about the clinic's lack of toilets. Within a few months, STH and Namumu had hired a contractor, purchased building supplies, and completed freestanding toilets for Namumu patients. We are very proud of this project. It was started based of patient feedback. It was built by a member of the Namumu community cheaply and efficiently. And most importantly, the patient experience is now improved. Check out the slide show on the right to see photos from the whole process, and be on the lookout for more similar projects in the future. Sam Cross President, Spread the Health, Inc. March 26th, 2016 |
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Meet Edgar, STH's new Project Manager
Things continue to move forward for us at Spread the Health. We’re still working hard to keep trained health professionals stationed in Zambia’s rural clinics. We’re still building up health infrastructure by installing solar panels and refurbishing patient rooms. We’re still improving nutrition for residents of Namumu Orphanage Centre. And we’re still monitoring each and every one of our projects diligently, collecting data and trying to determine how to help in the best and most efficient ways possible.
In addition, we’re happy to announce a new member of the Spread the Health team, Edgar Mwape. Edgar, a former resident of Namumu Orphanage, has begun work this month as STH’s Project Manager, helping us to collect and analyze data from our various partner clinics. Edgar is young, smart and incredibly motivated. We couldn’t be more excited to have him as a part of our team. We look forward to sharing more about Edgar and his work soon.
Sam Cross
President, Spread the Health, Inc.
July 11th, 2015
Things continue to move forward for us at Spread the Health. We’re still working hard to keep trained health professionals stationed in Zambia’s rural clinics. We’re still building up health infrastructure by installing solar panels and refurbishing patient rooms. We’re still improving nutrition for residents of Namumu Orphanage Centre. And we’re still monitoring each and every one of our projects diligently, collecting data and trying to determine how to help in the best and most efficient ways possible.
In addition, we’re happy to announce a new member of the Spread the Health team, Edgar Mwape. Edgar, a former resident of Namumu Orphanage, has begun work this month as STH’s Project Manager, helping us to collect and analyze data from our various partner clinics. Edgar is young, smart and incredibly motivated. We couldn’t be more excited to have him as a part of our team. We look forward to sharing more about Edgar and his work soon.
Sam Cross
President, Spread the Health, Inc.
July 11th, 2015
Summer Research, 2014
What a great month.
I just returned to the US after spending the past month in Zambia conducting research. My project, sponsored by the University of Virginia Center for Global Health, was focused on identifying motivating factors for rural health workers. I spent the month traveling from clinic to clinic by car, truck, minibus and boat, interviewing nurses and other health workers, trying to determine how to improve job satisfaction and keep them stationed in rural areas. Hopefully the results will help STH and the Zambian Ministry of Community Development keep these clinics well staffed.
While in Zambia, I was able to visit all three of STH’s partner clinics (the Namumu Clinic, the Munyama Clinic and the Nabutezi Clinic), and I’m happy to report that they are all doing quite well. Unlike in previous years, they’re all staffed with trained health professionals and are well equipped. Through our partnership with the Zambian Ministry of Community Development and other NGOs, we are going to do our best to keep them this way. We will continue contributing to staff salaries and the Namumu Orphanage Centre nutrition improvement program. We’re currently considering projects that would build solar power and water systems in these three clinics as well.
And we couldn’t be doing it all without your support. Let’s work together to keep up the good work.
Sam Cross
President, Spread the Health, Inc.
July 16th, 2014
What a great month.
I just returned to the US after spending the past month in Zambia conducting research. My project, sponsored by the University of Virginia Center for Global Health, was focused on identifying motivating factors for rural health workers. I spent the month traveling from clinic to clinic by car, truck, minibus and boat, interviewing nurses and other health workers, trying to determine how to improve job satisfaction and keep them stationed in rural areas. Hopefully the results will help STH and the Zambian Ministry of Community Development keep these clinics well staffed.
While in Zambia, I was able to visit all three of STH’s partner clinics (the Namumu Clinic, the Munyama Clinic and the Nabutezi Clinic), and I’m happy to report that they are all doing quite well. Unlike in previous years, they’re all staffed with trained health professionals and are well equipped. Through our partnership with the Zambian Ministry of Community Development and other NGOs, we are going to do our best to keep them this way. We will continue contributing to staff salaries and the Namumu Orphanage Centre nutrition improvement program. We’re currently considering projects that would build solar power and water systems in these three clinics as well.
And we couldn’t be doing it all without your support. Let’s work together to keep up the good work.
Sam Cross
President, Spread the Health, Inc.
July 16th, 2014
How We Work
You might have seen these recent headlines, "Lady Gaga's Charity Maybe Isn't So Charitable," "Lady Gaga's Charity Spent Ten Times More on Social Media Than Charity Its First Year," or "Lady Gaga's charity spent $1.85 million on expenses in 2012, gave one $5,000 grant".
There are some bad charities out there. Some mislead donors about where their money is going. Others spend too much on expenses.
At Spread the Health, we work really hard to spend money wisely, cost-effectively and transparently.
For starters, we'll make sure that 100% of your donation goes toward our healthcare initiatives. We keep our administrative costs super low (we all work as volunteers) and we cover any expenses ourselves (which were entirely bank transfer fees last year).
We make sure money is spent well, too. We look for cost-effective projects with a high likelihood of success. When I worked for a private equity firm, we put together an extensive memo before making new investments. The part we spent the most time on was investment risks and how to mitigate them. We do the same thing for new STH projects. For each of our new projects, we write a memo, looking at benefits and risks. The document serves as a starting point for discussion and debate and also increases our accountability.
We're also into monitoring and evaluation. We like to measure success - if you can't measure it, how do you know if it's working? We define metrics to gauge how well we're doing. If something is working great, we'll do more of it. If something isn't working, we'll stop it.
Lastly, we're transparent. We'll show you where your money goes. We require receipts from our partners and we spend a lot of time on the phone with them. But most importantly, we go see for ourselves. We visit our project sites at regular intervals to make sure the projects are working well.
Providing better healthcare in rural Zambia is a huge challenge. But by finding cost-effective projects with a high probability of success, we're improving health for thousands of people.
David Isaacs
Treasurer, Spread the Health, Inc.
April 19th, 2014
You might have seen these recent headlines, "Lady Gaga's Charity Maybe Isn't So Charitable," "Lady Gaga's Charity Spent Ten Times More on Social Media Than Charity Its First Year," or "Lady Gaga's charity spent $1.85 million on expenses in 2012, gave one $5,000 grant".
There are some bad charities out there. Some mislead donors about where their money is going. Others spend too much on expenses.
At Spread the Health, we work really hard to spend money wisely, cost-effectively and transparently.
For starters, we'll make sure that 100% of your donation goes toward our healthcare initiatives. We keep our administrative costs super low (we all work as volunteers) and we cover any expenses ourselves (which were entirely bank transfer fees last year).
We make sure money is spent well, too. We look for cost-effective projects with a high likelihood of success. When I worked for a private equity firm, we put together an extensive memo before making new investments. The part we spent the most time on was investment risks and how to mitigate them. We do the same thing for new STH projects. For each of our new projects, we write a memo, looking at benefits and risks. The document serves as a starting point for discussion and debate and also increases our accountability.
We're also into monitoring and evaluation. We like to measure success - if you can't measure it, how do you know if it's working? We define metrics to gauge how well we're doing. If something is working great, we'll do more of it. If something isn't working, we'll stop it.
Lastly, we're transparent. We'll show you where your money goes. We require receipts from our partners and we spend a lot of time on the phone with them. But most importantly, we go see for ourselves. We visit our project sites at regular intervals to make sure the projects are working well.
Providing better healthcare in rural Zambia is a huge challenge. But by finding cost-effective projects with a high probability of success, we're improving health for thousands of people.
David Isaacs
Treasurer, Spread the Health, Inc.
April 19th, 2014
Progress
Among the many constraints facing the Zambian health sector, a critical shortage of qualified health workers stands out as one of the most pressing. Public facilities in rural and remote areas suffer most from these shortages. Trained workers are quick to migrate away from these facilities, or do not begin working there in the first place, due to factors such as supply shortages, poor management and social isolation. Because of this, these clinics are often run by unqualified staff who provide suboptimal care to residents of these communities, or in some cases are shut down completely and are unable to operate.
At Spread the Health, we place the staffing of these rural clinics as one of our main priorities. After all, building beautiful clinic structures is useless without trained professionals to work within them. Supplying high tech equipment doesn’t make sense without physicians and nurses to operate it. We have been working with the Zambian Ministry of Health and NGOs on the ground to provide incentives to keep workers in these areas, because we believe this is the best way to provide long lasting benefit to these communities, to improve health and to save lives.
And it’s working. This month, our three main partner clinics are staffed by licensed professionals and have the equipment and medications they need. That’s three separate communities in southern Zambia receiving medical care in areas where numerous common illnesses once went undiagnosed and untreated. We have a long way to go in helping the poor and the sick in these communities, but we are moving in the right direction.
Sam Cross
President, Spread the Health, Inc.
March 24th, 2014
Among the many constraints facing the Zambian health sector, a critical shortage of qualified health workers stands out as one of the most pressing. Public facilities in rural and remote areas suffer most from these shortages. Trained workers are quick to migrate away from these facilities, or do not begin working there in the first place, due to factors such as supply shortages, poor management and social isolation. Because of this, these clinics are often run by unqualified staff who provide suboptimal care to residents of these communities, or in some cases are shut down completely and are unable to operate.
At Spread the Health, we place the staffing of these rural clinics as one of our main priorities. After all, building beautiful clinic structures is useless without trained professionals to work within them. Supplying high tech equipment doesn’t make sense without physicians and nurses to operate it. We have been working with the Zambian Ministry of Health and NGOs on the ground to provide incentives to keep workers in these areas, because we believe this is the best way to provide long lasting benefit to these communities, to improve health and to save lives.
And it’s working. This month, our three main partner clinics are staffed by licensed professionals and have the equipment and medications they need. That’s three separate communities in southern Zambia receiving medical care in areas where numerous common illnesses once went undiagnosed and untreated. We have a long way to go in helping the poor and the sick in these communities, but we are moving in the right direction.
Sam Cross
President, Spread the Health, Inc.
March 24th, 2014
Abigail
Thanks to the hard work of our partners at Namumu Orphanage Centre, I'm happy to report that, over the past three months, hundreds of men, women and children in the Siavonga area have received quality medical care from a trained nursing professional at the Namumu Clinic.
In early September, after years of operating without a trained nurse, Namumu found Abigail. A sharp, young, talented nurse, Abigail was looking for a job where she could treat Zambia's rural poor and provide care for patients with limited healthcare options. The Namumu Clinic provided her with just such an opportunity and brought her onboard to run its operations.
Abigail has been working hard, seeing 20 to 30 patients a day, treating all she can and referring those she can't to the main district hospital in the township of Siavonga. Thanks to Abigail, patients are being treated who might not have sought care otherwise due to long walks, long lines and a lack of trained workers in the area. The members of the community have been thrilled and have welcomed her with open arms.
With your help, we at Spread the Health plan to continue working with Namumu, helping them provide the best care possible for members of the local community, both by bringing on additional staff and by building up the Namumu Clinic infrastructure.
Sam Cross
President, Spread the Health, Inc.
September 20th, 2014
Thanks to the hard work of our partners at Namumu Orphanage Centre, I'm happy to report that, over the past three months, hundreds of men, women and children in the Siavonga area have received quality medical care from a trained nursing professional at the Namumu Clinic.
In early September, after years of operating without a trained nurse, Namumu found Abigail. A sharp, young, talented nurse, Abigail was looking for a job where she could treat Zambia's rural poor and provide care for patients with limited healthcare options. The Namumu Clinic provided her with just such an opportunity and brought her onboard to run its operations.
Abigail has been working hard, seeing 20 to 30 patients a day, treating all she can and referring those she can't to the main district hospital in the township of Siavonga. Thanks to Abigail, patients are being treated who might not have sought care otherwise due to long walks, long lines and a lack of trained workers in the area. The members of the community have been thrilled and have welcomed her with open arms.
With your help, we at Spread the Health plan to continue working with Namumu, helping them provide the best care possible for members of the local community, both by bringing on additional staff and by building up the Namumu Clinic infrastructure.
Sam Cross
President, Spread the Health, Inc.
September 20th, 2014
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
It was feeding time in the infant room at one of the crisis nurseries we were visiting on a church trip to several orphanages and nurseries in Zambia. The two caregivers were deftly feeding two babies at a time while the other babies had to wait. I admired the calm patience of the caregivers as they gently, but efficiently, tended to twelve babies. Some of the babies squirmed or fussed a bit. One was howling. Several rested quietly in cribs. Three babies were lying on a large pillow, looking around the room. One baby caught my attention. While the others waited to be fed, this baby was grabbing the spoon and trying mightily to feed himself. He was making a mess and disrupting the system. I looked at him and he looked at me. It was love at first sight. I had to hold this baby. I took the spoon and his bowl of what looked like a sloppy version of the nsima I would become accustomed to eating. He grabbed the spoon and jammed it in his mouth. He tried to grab the bowl with his other hand but I beat him to it. I held one tiny fist with my left hand, sat on the floor and locked him between my knees and fed him with my right hand. He fought me the entire time, as if I just could not get the food in his mouth fast enough. When he had finished the bowl of baby cereal he gazed at me with a look of triumph.
His name was Andrew. His eyes seemed brighter than all the other babies. He seemed to be more interested in the goings on around him. I carried him around the room and he seemed to be pointing to a large alphabet poster on the wall. I carried him over for a closer look. Although he was not even a year old, I was convinced he wanted to learn the alphabet. So I sang the alphabet song to him. I even tried to teach him some numbers. Of course it was silly, since he was not even a year old. But something about him convinced me he wanted to learn. He seemed so bright. He was so eager to be held and spoken to and he did seem to love the alphabet song. Each day when I visited the baby room, Andrew and I studied the alphabet poster and practiced our song. I told him often that he was very smart and that he would go to college someday. I told him he would study hard and maybe be an engineer or a doctor.
When it was time to leave to go visit another orphanage in rural Zambia, the reality of Andrew's life hit me. The prevalence of malaria, AIDs and food and waterborne diseases makes it unlikely that Andrew will live past the age of 50. The World Health Organization estimates that 50% of the population in Zambia does not have access to essential medications. According to a UNICEF estimate, over 570,000 children in Zambia have lost both parents to AIDs. What if Andrew was HIV positive? His chances of living a healthy, happy life and going to college seemed dismal to me. The thought of what may lie ahead for this baby broke my heart. One of the caregivers gently reminded me that with God, all things are possible. She reminded me that in this crisis nursery and in many other clinics, nurseries, schools and orphanages across Zambia, children are being fed and provided with medical care and an education. She admonished me to never give up and to never stop caring because we can make a difference in Andrew's life and in the lives of other Zambian children and families.
As we visited other orphanages and schools I found the same hope, determination and confidence that obstacles can be overcome and life can be improved. There were teachers using their creativity to teach children, often without books, paper, pencils or other basic school supplies. We met administrators using their ingenuity and hard work to provide food, shelter and clothing to vulnerable children and teenagers on minimal budgets. We visited a rural medical clinic where medical care was minimal at best but compassion was dispensed in large doses. Every prayer, every donation, every word of encouragement can make a difference. With better access to medical care and improved public health, Andrew and others like him will have a fighting chance to grow up to be teachers, administrators, farmers, and even doctors and engineers.
Bonnie Dorwin,
Board Member, Spread the Health, Inc.
May 28th, 2012
It was feeding time in the infant room at one of the crisis nurseries we were visiting on a church trip to several orphanages and nurseries in Zambia. The two caregivers were deftly feeding two babies at a time while the other babies had to wait. I admired the calm patience of the caregivers as they gently, but efficiently, tended to twelve babies. Some of the babies squirmed or fussed a bit. One was howling. Several rested quietly in cribs. Three babies were lying on a large pillow, looking around the room. One baby caught my attention. While the others waited to be fed, this baby was grabbing the spoon and trying mightily to feed himself. He was making a mess and disrupting the system. I looked at him and he looked at me. It was love at first sight. I had to hold this baby. I took the spoon and his bowl of what looked like a sloppy version of the nsima I would become accustomed to eating. He grabbed the spoon and jammed it in his mouth. He tried to grab the bowl with his other hand but I beat him to it. I held one tiny fist with my left hand, sat on the floor and locked him between my knees and fed him with my right hand. He fought me the entire time, as if I just could not get the food in his mouth fast enough. When he had finished the bowl of baby cereal he gazed at me with a look of triumph.
His name was Andrew. His eyes seemed brighter than all the other babies. He seemed to be more interested in the goings on around him. I carried him around the room and he seemed to be pointing to a large alphabet poster on the wall. I carried him over for a closer look. Although he was not even a year old, I was convinced he wanted to learn the alphabet. So I sang the alphabet song to him. I even tried to teach him some numbers. Of course it was silly, since he was not even a year old. But something about him convinced me he wanted to learn. He seemed so bright. He was so eager to be held and spoken to and he did seem to love the alphabet song. Each day when I visited the baby room, Andrew and I studied the alphabet poster and practiced our song. I told him often that he was very smart and that he would go to college someday. I told him he would study hard and maybe be an engineer or a doctor.
When it was time to leave to go visit another orphanage in rural Zambia, the reality of Andrew's life hit me. The prevalence of malaria, AIDs and food and waterborne diseases makes it unlikely that Andrew will live past the age of 50. The World Health Organization estimates that 50% of the population in Zambia does not have access to essential medications. According to a UNICEF estimate, over 570,000 children in Zambia have lost both parents to AIDs. What if Andrew was HIV positive? His chances of living a healthy, happy life and going to college seemed dismal to me. The thought of what may lie ahead for this baby broke my heart. One of the caregivers gently reminded me that with God, all things are possible. She reminded me that in this crisis nursery and in many other clinics, nurseries, schools and orphanages across Zambia, children are being fed and provided with medical care and an education. She admonished me to never give up and to never stop caring because we can make a difference in Andrew's life and in the lives of other Zambian children and families.
As we visited other orphanages and schools I found the same hope, determination and confidence that obstacles can be overcome and life can be improved. There were teachers using their creativity to teach children, often without books, paper, pencils or other basic school supplies. We met administrators using their ingenuity and hard work to provide food, shelter and clothing to vulnerable children and teenagers on minimal budgets. We visited a rural medical clinic where medical care was minimal at best but compassion was dispensed in large doses. Every prayer, every donation, every word of encouragement can make a difference. With better access to medical care and improved public health, Andrew and others like him will have a fighting chance to grow up to be teachers, administrators, farmers, and even doctors and engineers.
Bonnie Dorwin,
Board Member, Spread the Health, Inc.
May 28th, 2012
THE BEGINNING
It was February of 2009 and I was fresh out of college. Young and somewhat restless, I was looking to go out in the world, outside of my comfort zone. My church provided me with just such an opportunity.
Just outside of Siavonga, Zambia, a small town in the hills of southern Africa, sits Namumu Orphanage Centre. Namumu, home to 30 boys and 30 girls, all orphans and vulnerable children from the local community, provides its children with food, clothing, shelter, education and health care, and operates a number of income generating activities in an effort to raise additional funds to, along with the funds from donors in the US, Europe and within Zambia, support its children. My church was among the groups supporting Namumu, and through this relationship I was able to land a job working for Namumu as their Income Generating Activities Manager, managing their fishing, carpentry, welding, gardening and poultry-rearing operations.
And so for years I lived in this beautiful country, working and playing and making lifelong friends. It was a good life. A simple life. However, I soon began to understand that for many, while life was simple, it certainly wasn’t good. Poverty and disease were everywhere. Among the problems faced, a lack of access to medical care stood out as perhaps one of the greatest.
Never was this lack of access more apparent than during my sick days of May 2010. I got hit and hit hard by sharp stomach pains and intense nausea one night. I spent much of the evening in the fetal position, sweating, hugging the toilet and moaning. It felt like it could be serious, malaria or perhaps worse. Everyone at the orphanage was asleep. Namumu had a small clinic but it was closed, and I doubted the untrained nurse, despite her big heart and desire to help, would have been able to help me. The Siavonga District Hospital was a 45 minute walk away, and even if I could walk (which I certainly couldn’t), I wasn’t convinced they could help me either. I felt alone. I felt helpless.
What happened? I stuck it out through the night and survived. I got some medicine the next day from the clinic and, over the next 48 hours, the pain slowly subsided and the symptoms went away.
It all made me think. I thought about the pain and the feeling of helplessness. It was awful, and while I lived through them for a night, for many rural Zambians, those suffering from HIV, TB, malaria, and a great many other diseases, this pain and the feeling of helplessness are a part of everyday life. While great strides have been made in improving the health of those living in Zambia, many, especially those living in rural areas, still lack access to quality drugs and services.
So in 2011, four friends and I founded Spread the Health in order to, alongside partnering organizations in Zambia and the US, improve access to care for those living in poverty in these rural areas, and to replace the feeling of helplessness with hope.
Sam Cross
President, Spread the Health, Inc.
May 1st, 2012
Just outside of Siavonga, Zambia, a small town in the hills of southern Africa, sits Namumu Orphanage Centre. Namumu, home to 30 boys and 30 girls, all orphans and vulnerable children from the local community, provides its children with food, clothing, shelter, education and health care, and operates a number of income generating activities in an effort to raise additional funds to, along with the funds from donors in the US, Europe and within Zambia, support its children. My church was among the groups supporting Namumu, and through this relationship I was able to land a job working for Namumu as their Income Generating Activities Manager, managing their fishing, carpentry, welding, gardening and poultry-rearing operations.
And so for years I lived in this beautiful country, working and playing and making lifelong friends. It was a good life. A simple life. However, I soon began to understand that for many, while life was simple, it certainly wasn’t good. Poverty and disease were everywhere. Among the problems faced, a lack of access to medical care stood out as perhaps one of the greatest.
Never was this lack of access more apparent than during my sick days of May 2010. I got hit and hit hard by sharp stomach pains and intense nausea one night. I spent much of the evening in the fetal position, sweating, hugging the toilet and moaning. It felt like it could be serious, malaria or perhaps worse. Everyone at the orphanage was asleep. Namumu had a small clinic but it was closed, and I doubted the untrained nurse, despite her big heart and desire to help, would have been able to help me. The Siavonga District Hospital was a 45 minute walk away, and even if I could walk (which I certainly couldn’t), I wasn’t convinced they could help me either. I felt alone. I felt helpless.
What happened? I stuck it out through the night and survived. I got some medicine the next day from the clinic and, over the next 48 hours, the pain slowly subsided and the symptoms went away.
It all made me think. I thought about the pain and the feeling of helplessness. It was awful, and while I lived through them for a night, for many rural Zambians, those suffering from HIV, TB, malaria, and a great many other diseases, this pain and the feeling of helplessness are a part of everyday life. While great strides have been made in improving the health of those living in Zambia, many, especially those living in rural areas, still lack access to quality drugs and services.
So in 2011, four friends and I founded Spread the Health in order to, alongside partnering organizations in Zambia and the US, improve access to care for those living in poverty in these rural areas, and to replace the feeling of helplessness with hope.
Sam Cross
President, Spread the Health, Inc.
May 1st, 2012
