What Motivates Me

When I began my role as a local health worker in 2002, I had only a fourth grade education. I participated in an adult literacy program and received training in medical treatment and disease prevention from Save the Children. Now, I can diagnose and treat some of the most common killers of newborn children and toddlers – respiratory infections, diarrhea, and diseases like malaria, which can be fatal if left untreated. Since I began working as a local health worker, I have made it my mission to provide easy access to basic health services for the children of the more than 23 families that reside in my community. With the help of Save the Children, Satiguila received its first village pharmacy, which allows me to provide basic care to the children of my community. I am also working to change the culture and attitudes held by members of the community towards modern medicine and disease prevention. I remember one case in particular involving a child afflicted with malaria who was experiencing convulsions. The child’s parents thought that he had been possessed by evil spirits (known throughout the region as “kono”). After an examination, I recommended that the child be brought to a local community health center, and within a week of proper treatment, the convulsions had stopped and the child was malaria-free. As a health worker, my efforts are preventing the needless deaths of children and newborns throughout my community. I have seen first-hand how Save the Children’s supporters are making remarkable strides in promoting the health of the village’s children. For many children, my visits have become an invaluable first step towards treating and preventing more serious medical problems. The training I received from Save the Children, along with the responsibility to improve the health of my community, are what really motivates me. My ultimate reward is moral satisfaction. I am serving my community and I am working for the well-being of the children who live in my village.