Health fund | Kivuko

HEALTHCARE FUND

The challenge

DISEASES

POVERTY

Poverty leads to diseases and diseases lead to poverty. Who is caught in such a vicious circle of poverty and illness in a country like Tanzania can hardly escape it without any outside help. For most people health insurance is too expensive and services do not cover all treatments so that many locals cannot afford going to the doctor. Minor diseases, which could be treated easily, can rapidly develop into chronic and life-threatening illnesses as a consequence.

Malaria serves as a good example: Within the first few days, medicine is relatively cheap and the disease is easy to treat. However, if you wait longer, it usually becomes necessary to stay in the hospital for getting intensive and expensive treatment. If you do not treat malaria or if you start treatment too late, it can even lead to death.

Healthcare fund

Acces to health care

We want to provide access to health care for people living in Rulengee/Ngara region - independent from their income and for that time period which is needed for a full recovery.

Knowledge about diseases and their prevention

The goal is that people understand why they or people from their social environment felt sick and how they can prevent this in the future.

Maintaining or improving the living conditions

Falling sick should not be the cause for further impoverishment of people who already belong to the poorest of the region.

How do we want to achieve this?

Emergency Aid

We fund the treatment costs for people who can not afford them. The majority of these treatments are lifesaving.

Aftercare and prevention

For maintaining the health state in the long-term, the Tanzanian team of Kivuko supervises the clients until their full recovery. Mentoring the clients in their daily life is also crucial for prevention of further diseases.

Community Work

The social environment is a crucial component for health. Kivuko evaluates the situation and is working on solutions together with the clients. They tackle questions such as: Who can offer support? Who can regulary look after patients? How can risks be minimized together?

And how does this look like?

Until January 2021, more than 145 patients could be treated through the health fund of Kivuko. The majority of the treatments was lifesaving. Get insights into the work of the Tanzanian team who grew up in Rulenge or live there since many years:

Mentoring of Andwele and his grandmother

The approximately 5-year-old Andwele (name changed) grows up with his grandmother. Despite her best efforts, she is unable to grow or otherwise procure enough food for her grandson, who has a disability. Kivuko provided emergency aid, built up a network of supporters in the neighborhood, and is mentoring the grandmother - first on the supply of food, and later on further support.

The challenges associated with albinism

Tanzania has a comparatively high proportion of people born with albinism. It is not just the increased sensitivity of their skin to the sun that causes them problems. People with albinism are marginalized, disadvantaged and even persecuted in Tanzania and many other countries. Some of Kivuko's clients also have albinism, including this mother. Hospitalizations and sensitivity to the sun make it even more difficult for her than for other women farmers to grow enough food for her family. Kivuko's Tanzanian staff worked with the family to evaluate how important support is for the mother and also helped with treatment costs. In the meantime, the mother receives additional help from her husband and has also recovered from malaria. All the best for the future!

Welcome to school!

8-year-old Maisha (name changed) is growing up with his grandmother, as his parents passed away. Recently, his hospital expenses for a 6-day stay were covered by Kivuko. He had malaria and suffers from malnutrition. During the treatment, it was noticed that Maisha does not even go to school yet. The Tanzanian Kivuko team then spoke with the family, who actually also all see the importance of attending school. Therefore, Maisha has recently started going to the first grade of the elementary school in his village! Congratulations! Since the family can barely afford the school supplies, Kivuko will continue to accompany them to ensure that Maisha can go to school permanently.