Health Capacity Building in Tanzania
We provide year-round HIV prevention education and health empowerment programs in Arusha, Tanzania. We work closely with our communities, as well as government officials in Tanzania, to develop programs that support health education and development initiatives already in place.
We are committed to fighting HIV-related stigma and creating a safe space for others to see themselves as powerful contributions to the health of their community.
Health Education and Health Club Programs
HEAL International stands for all people to have access to health education. We offer year-round education programs that focus on HIV prevention and stigma reduction among young people in Tanzania. We work with primary and secondary school students, as well as in universities, community groups, and with teachers to facilitate discussions about health, well-being, rights, and positive health futures. We work closely with Government Education Officials and school headmasters in Tanzania to create programs that align with current curriculum about HIV/AIDS and health in schools. Our programs utilize low-cost lab-free tools to facilitate discussions about biology, activities to engage faculty and students in discussions about health, and generate groups of young people who are passionate about fighting stigma in their communities.
We are committed to an HIV free generation, and our health education programs open a space for individuals to share their concerns, discover their commitments, and inspire action.
Girls' Health Clubs
The girls' school health clubs, launched in 2016, is a program designed for girls in primary and secondary schools. The curriculum is based off of HEAL International’s health education and empowerment curriculum, and includes age and gender specific topics such as puberty and menstruation. In rural areas of Tanzania, There is a gap in sexual health programs for young girls - many girls do not go to school during menstruation and are subject to early marriage and pregnancy.
The health clubs inspire and encourage young women to take their health into their own hands and recognize that they hold all of the power when it comes to their own health, the health of their family, and the health of their community. The program combines comprehensive sexual health education with discussions about healthy relationships and empowerment; we create a safe environment where the participants are able to explore these topics and discover powerful for themselves.
Hatushindwi: We will Not be defeated
Tanzanian women embody strength, and contribute so much to our organization. In collaboration with 15 women, our Country Director and Health Officer in Tanzania came together to form a Women’s Empowerment Group. The group is titled Hatushindwi, which means “we will not be defeated.” In Tanzanian culture, and many cultures all around the world, women often do not have an outlet to speak of their concerns and discuss solutions to their problems. The group’s curriculum includes gender violence, women’s reproductive health, and entrepreneurship. HEAL International is committed to providing a safe space at our compound in Tanzania for the women to discuss the things that matter to them; these women work together to support each other. In 2017, we had our inaugural Women's Day in which the Hatushindwi members invited their friends and family for a day of love, acceptance, laughter, and health education. HEAL supports the initiatives of this group year round.
Community Health Projects
Our teams stands for sustainable community health projects, and our Health Officers and interns are an integral part of creating positive, lasting change. Year round, we identify leaders in the community who are committed to making a difference and empowering others and we meet with them to hear about their challenges and what we can do to move their passion projects forward. Recently, one of our interns worked with our team in Tanzania to restore clean, running water inside Kimundo Dispensary, a local health dispensary that serves over 6,000 people every year.
Our partners in Tanzania
Meru District Council & District Education Officials
Meru District Hospital & District Medical Officer
Kimundo Health Dispensary
The community of Akeri