We deliver world-class, community-driven medical care and local development initiatives from what has rapidly become the premiere health facility in all of Burundi. To treat the root causes of disease and illness, we couple clinical programs with community development initiatives in response to needs defined by community members. Focus areas include food security, education, livelihood skills, gender-based violence and environmental protection.
Village Health Works (VHW) was born out of compassion, remembrance of a personal journey, compassion for the pain of others and an old childhood dream. We started from scratch with no money, working with people who had less than nothing while carrying their tragedies like a great weight. The war had just officially ended and wounds were still fresh. Insecurity was still all around. But spending so many hours feeling sad, powerless and watching the life of an entire community evaporate, was more exhausting than confronting the situation. In the first four years of operation, we saw more than 50,000 individual patients and installed solar energy panels to power the facility, a VSAT internet system for communications and Electronic Medical Records, and a 14,000 gallon water collection cistern providing the first ever source of potable water on site and to the surrounding communities. Adjacent to the clinic, we built a teaching farm for agricultural training to address root causes of malnutrition. We developed our Women’s Cooperatives to provide employment, training and social support to local women, including gender-based violence survivors. Currently employing about 45 women, the co-ops are comprised of sewing, weaving, soap-making and baking groups. We built a staff and volunteer residence, a children’s malnutrition ward and in-patient facility with a waiting area, lab and IT room. In our community center we hold community meetings, trainings Community Health Workers, classes and after school programs, and community engagement events where people discuss the progress of the VHW programs. We teach nutrition and other basic health issues, and provide continuing education for both clinical and non-clinical staff.
Village Health Works seeks to be a center of excellence, a teaching hospital, and a place where those interested in building their own community-driven organizations can come to learn and perfect their craft. The construction of the first Women’s Health Pavilion, a 50-bed hospital for women, is scheduled to begin in 2012. It will more than double our inpatient capacity and allow us to offer new critical services such as cesarean sections, general surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery and other currently nonexistent medical services. It costs about $5 to save the life of a malnourished child. Making a donation today will go directly to funding our efforts in Kigutu where everyday our staff provides high quality health care to hundreds of patients. Your donation today will be in the field tomorrow.
Name of Organization:Village Health Works
Number of Paid Staff:200 full time, 10 part-time
Number of Volunteers:20
Total Organizational Expenses:$435,286
% of Organizational Overhead Expenses:22%
First and foremost, in this kind of work no sustainable results can be achieved without community engagement and strong partnerships with those being served. Genuine ownership by the community is demonstrated through their integral involvement in the inception of our project, our Community Health Workers and various local community committees. This collaboration with surrounding communities directs our work. With great respect for our patients, the quality of our medical care aims to match that offered at any of the world’s best hospitals. The dignified environment and compassionate care we provide are available regardless of a patient's ability to pay. Also, through our work in Burundi, we have seen the debilitating consequences of a failing education system. We believe that the synergy between high quality health care and real education is the most powerful tool to achieve our mission. In addition to establishing quality clinical programs, we are implementing initiatives in education. Finally, professionalism is a pre-requisite for our work. We highly value the importance of the ability to work as a group toward a common vision while respecting every patient, every member of the team and community, as well as the environment in which we work.
Genevieve is 22 years old. She was born and raised in Nyentambwe, a small village about a thirty-minute walk from the Village Health Works health center in Kigutu, Burundi. Genevieve and her husband, Emelie, met one day while both were walking along the country road. Genevieve and Emele married in the fall and much to their delight, they recently learned that they are expecting a child. When asked whether she wants a boy or a girl, Genevieve smiles. “Umwana n’umwana,” she says, “a child is a child.” Over the coming months, Genevieve will receive regular high-quality prenatal care from Village Health Works’ clinicians. Though the co-ops only formed in January of 2012, the sewing co-op has already put on a fashion show for 200+ community members. The soap-making co-op has begun selling their products to fashionable hotels and spas in the capital city of Bujumbura. The bakery has diversified and improved the quality of their products. Finally, the weaving co-op has sold nearly 2,000 USD in merchandise in two weeks. These successes say something about the approach we’ve chosen and are testament of the work ethic and ability these women possess.
Education
Freedom
Peace
Poverty
Organize a Book Club Reading of ‘Strength In What Remains’ by Tracy Kidder, which tells the story of our Founder, Deogratias Niyizonkiza. Organize a fun awareness event (maybe a movie night or a pot luck with dishes from Burundi) to talk about the country and VHW’s mission. Grow the community by telling your friends and family about us. Tell us your ideas and share your support through our facebook page!
Name:Sarah Badgerow
Title:Community Outreach Coordinator
Address:12 E 33 St, 4th Floor, New York, New York, 10016
Telephone:(917) 546-9219
Email:sbadgerow@villagehealthworks.org
Website:www. villagehealthworks.org