Together with Engera and Engera USA, Engera UK supports seven health facilities that provide care to over 140,000 people without access to health care: 35% of this population are children. Most families live on just a few hundred pounds a year. Our vision is for healthy communities in the areas where we work and access to appropriate healthcare for all who need it. Critical to achieving this goal is developing the skills of new health workers and updating existing skills to ensure sustainable change. Engera-funded scholarships unlocked the potential of several members of the local community who are now an integral part of the health team.
Through a scholarship from Engera, Sennayet trained as a midwife eight years ago at the Hossana Health Science College. At that time, there were no midwives at the Zizencho health centre, and she did not have medical experience, but she wanted to learn more about midwifery. Sennayet is now the most experienced midwife out of the nearest nine health facilities. She plans to continue her professional development and further her skills.
She says: "When I started working at the health centre, the community didn't know about going to a hospital to give birth. Women came on stretchers to give birth, but it was too late. But now they walk here before it's too late. Serving my own community gives me great satisfaction."
Dawit is 23 years old and has been working at the Zizencho Health Centre for five years. He is an only child and thus the sole provider for his family and comes from a very disadvantaged background. He used to work in the fields for a daily wage. However, with Engera's support, he was able to earn a three-year degree from Hossana Health Science College. Now he has a permanent job as a lab technician. Now he has job security and stability; he wants to get a degree to increase his salary.
After working in the clinic for six years with a diploma, Endale received a scholarship to study for a degree. He has also received training in dentistry and, once a week is responsible for extracting teeth. He also carries out outreach which includes giving people their vaccinations.
He says: "Attat hospital is 52 kilometers away. When a mother is in labor without medical care nearby she will likely die because she can’t walk to Attat hospital. Our society is uneducated. They are a rural society. Many elderly people live in the countryside. The youth don’t go to school. Now that the clinic is here, many mothers come, and after they give birth, we care for them. We give them clothes and encourage them. If they are at risk, we give maternal care."
