Blog #44: Village Health Works

We recently began our 8^th year of support for Village Health Works (VWH).  When it was established in 2007, the primary mission of VHW was to build a health clinic for the people of Kigutu, Burundi.  It soon became apparent that this community still recovering from the impact decades of civil strife and genocide needed more to recover its health than just a clinic.  Our first grants were to help establish a food security program.  In the years since our initial grant, this program has flourished to include demonstration gardens, agricultural cooperatives, and trained agricultural specialists.  As the food security programs began to sustain themselves, VHW began to focus on other issues that impact the community.  In 2012, we were asked if we would support the launch of an education program.  Students were unable to pass national exams, many students didn’t have necessary supplies, teachers didn’t have adequate training.  2015 marks the 4^th year of our support of education initiatives; our grant will continue to support teacher training, tutoring, after school programs, as well as provide supplies for students who couldn’t otherwise afford them.  The number of students and schools participating continues to grow as well.  Success breeds success.