2024 Reaching Children's Potential Impact Report : simplebooklet.com

The strategy is straightforward. Deliver pregnant women and new momsscience-based knowledge through parentworkshops to optimize their child-rearingabilities. Reinforce early childhood lessonsthrough instruction and psychosocialsupport at regular home visits. Make sufficient food and nutritionavailable to children during the first 1,000days of life, allowing their brains andcognitive aptitude to fully develop. Provide modern health care andprotection from infectious diseases,furthering children’s ability to grow andmature. Educate children to their fullest capacity,enabling them to contribute to theirfamilies and community. ONE CHILD AT A TIMEENDING POVERTY The RCP Program elevates families’ daily well-being in powerful, replicable ways. Thiscomprehensive package focuses on earlychildhood development, and includes: Healthy eating practices by providingnutrition education, nutritious meals, andmicronutrient supplements, Community health care, mental wellnesseducation, and maternal and child healthservices, addressing prenatal care, healthyand safe deliveries, postnatal care, andlifelong primary care, Enriched preschool opportunities, schoolfeeding programs, enhanced classroominstruction, psychosocial support,promotion of girls’ education, andalternative classroom behaviormodification measures. The RCP Program lifts rural communities outof poverty: The rural poor become food self-reliantand food secure. Families have access to modernhealthcare facilities. Students acquire a quality education andbecome productive members of society. Every child who escapes the ravages ofpoverty magnifies the economic and socialpotential for their community and nation. Theglobal community realizes increasedeconomic activity and added social stability.Every person contributing to this effort willrelish the joy of being forever intertwined inthis legacy. 25

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Fadhila and Sifaeli have three children, aboy, and two girls, and live in Makunguvillage. Fadhila declares, “Life is very differentnow when we have this program here in thevillage. I’ve learned that washing hands withsoap and clean water helps prevent diseaseslike stomach fever, diarrhea, vomiting, andrespiratory diseases.” Like most of theirneighbors, Fadhila and Sifaeli are farmerswho live off the land. They joined the RCPProgram in 2021 when Fadhila was pregnantwith their youngest daughter. “My youngesthas been growing very different from myother children because she can do things thatmy other children were not able to do whenthey were at her age,” she says. Fadhila alsoshares her experience with the women’s co-op she is participating, “I have learned a lot;making face masks, soap, tie-dye and beingan entrepreneur. I always walk around thevillage to sell the products that we have madeand the tins of seafood.” THE FAMILIES’ STORIESREACHING CHILDREN’S POTENTIALAnedai and Gasto have two girls, 6 years and4 months, in Mkalanga village. Anedai reports,“Before the RCP Program, we had to walk forhours to reach the health center, and we hadto pay for the services. Now my husband,children, and I get health services for free atthe Ipalamwa General Clinic, and the servicesare very good. Years back, it was hard for apregnant woman in labor to reach the healthfacility due to transportation challenges,roads, and communication access, so mostwomen delivered their babies at home or ontheir way to the clinic. It was a big risk. Duringmy last pregnancy, I stayed in Ipalamwa atthe House for New Moms for one weekbefore the expected date of delivery. I wasseen almost every day by medical staff at theIpalamwa General Clinic to see how I and myunborn child were doing and was given goodmeals for free.” Anedai adds, “I enjoy seeingthe volunteers during home visits because Iget the opportunity to ask them questions.We have great conversations, and theyrespond to me well.” 6

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Laifa and Patrick live in Ipalamwa villagewith their three boys. They, too, are farmersraising beans, maize, and potatoes. Theyjoined the RCP Program when she waspregnant. Laifa says, “I had been raising mychildren with the guidance of my mother andrelatives, but I didn’t have enough knowledgeon raising children. For my two olderchildren, I introduced solid food right awaywhen they cried, thinking they were hungry.Through the RCP workshops, I learned that ababy should be exclusively breastfed for sixmonths before introducing solid foods. Thisknowledge has made a significant differencein the cognition and activeness of my thirdchild compared to the older two.” Laifacontinues, “The most helpful part of theprogram is the education concerningnutrition, hygiene, and overall health. Therewas much information that we did not know.”And, “The household garden boxes havehelped my family have a balanced diet as wecan get vegetables within a close distance.The chicken coops have also helped inproviding protein.” 7

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CONFIRMS RCP PROGRAM’S SUCCESS TANZANIA FOOD AND NUTRITION CENTERTo verify this remarkable achievement,executives at Stronger Foundations forNutrition encouraged Global Volunteers toenlist an independent third-party researchorganization to corroborate the RCPProgram results. The Tanzania Food andNutrition Center (TFNC), a division of theMinistry of Health, conducted a broader,independent study of RCP children in fivevillages. In June 2023, TFNC researcherstraveled to Ukwega ward, interviewedhundreds of parents enrolled in the RCPProgram, measured over 600 children aged0 to 5, analyzed their data, and publishedthe results. Their findings were stunning.In October 2021, Global Volunteers analyzedthe height/length data for all children undertwo years old enrolled in the RCP Programfrom three villages in Ukwega ward againstbaseline data collected in 2017. Althoughdata had been compiled and analyzedconsistently over those years, the analysissurpassed expectations. Village parents had reduced theprevalence of childhood stunting by 57percent in four years. No other organization has reported positiveimprovements of this magnitude. 310

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92% of RCP children had a normal birthweight.0 20 40 60 80 100RCP FamiliesTanzaniaNormal birth rate3.6%59%RCPTanzania0 20 40 60 80 100RCP FamiliesTanzania90%52%RCPRuralTanzania3.6% of RCP families reported beingmoderately or severely food insecurecompared to 59% in all of Tanzania. 90% of RCP children were fully immunizedcompared to 52% in rural Tanzania. 92%92% of RCP families treated their water forsafe drinking and reported low incidencesof diarrhea.Families treatingtheir water96%96% of families had a householdhandwashing station. Families withhandwashingstationsThis science-based evidence, that families inUkwega ward are producing unparalleledimprovements in child and maternal health,has implications for all rural communities inTanzania and beyond. These extraordinaryresults can be replicated despite thesignificant poverty and lack of resourceswithin the Iringa Region. While much workremains to be done, these parents haveproven they can change the arc of theirchildren’s lives – one child at a time – throughthe RCP Program. Most dramatic, the prevalence ofchildhood stunting is 24.5% amongchildren under five in the Ukwega wardcompared to 56.9% among children underfive in the Iringa region where the Ukwegaward is located. This shows childhoodstunting is 57% less prevalent amongthose enrolled in the RCP Program.0 20 40 60 80 100RCP FamiliesTanzania24.5%56.9%UkwegaWardIringaRegion92%456 11

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Children are not born with an operationalmanual. Most parents learn how to raisetheir children from their own parents orgrandparents. Unfortunately, many parentsand grandparents in rural villages don’thave access to current and accurateinformation. Science, on the other hand,teaches many positive and effective actionsthat moms and dads can take to helpensure the health and well-being of theirchildren. RCP families want to know how to best raisetheir children. Further, with very fewexceptions, parents, especially mothers, willdo anything to help their children livehealthy and productive lives. But first, theymust learn what to do; then they must knowhow to apply the knowledge. TRANSFERRING CRITICAL KNOWLEDGEPARENT WORKSHOPSVolunteer professionals present workshopsat the RCP Learning Center. Topics teachlocally relevant, practical skills in over 30areas, including breastfeeding, nutrition,container gardens, household chicken coops,meal preparation, school feeding, healthcare,disease prevention, family planning, healthypregnancies, infant care, mental well-being,personal hygiene, brain development, childstimulation, developmental milestones,effective discipline, psychosocial support,sanitation, and social and psychologicaldevelopment. Presentations are conducted in both Englishand Swahili, with the volunteer presenterfilling in the broad parameters of the outlinefrom their professional expertise, stories,lived experiences, and education.PowerPoints, videos, charts, hands-onresources, handouts, demonstrations,lectures, discussion, and music areintegrated into the workshops. GlobalVolunteers local staff translate the oralpresentations into Swahili, which keeps mostattendees riveted by the revealinginformation. RCP-enrolled parents are encouraged toparticipate in all workshops, with one familymember required to attend at least 80percent of the workshops to remain in theprogram.19

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OFFERING PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORTHOME VISITS Multiple benefits evolve from regular homevisits. Mothers and babies are healthier,children are better prepared for school, kidsare safer at home, moms have lower stresslevels, and families strive to become moreself-sufficient. Many studies have found thatpregnant mothers who participated in ahome-visiting program were less likely tohave a baby born with low birth weight,which greatly reduces babies’ risk for manyhealth and developmental problems. A 1994 study established that home-visitingprograms have long-term, positive impactson children’s academic achievements.Research shows that home visits areassociated with reduced rates of childmaltreatment and injuries. Further, who participate in home visits have loweranxiety levels and increased sensitivityduring interactions with their children.14,15,16,17181920mothers21Home visits fulfill three other purposes.First, caregivers use flipcharts to reinforcethe lessons of each RCP workshop. Mothersreport that this lesson reinforcement isextremely helpful as they learn new andbetter practices for raising their children. Second, caregivers help their families adoptnew household technologies and servicesintroduced at parent workshops, e.g., hand-washing stations, container gardens, chickencoops, fuel-efficient vented stoves, andrainwater-harvesting systems.Third, staff and volunteers offer directpsychosocial support and encouragement toparents and other family members, whichhelps them modify behaviors so they canapply the knowledge, effectively adopt thetechnologies, and embrace the services.Because behavioral change is challengingfor all humans, positive reinforcement isfound to enhance follow-through. What’smost impactful is when volunteerprofessionals from a faraway land visit afamily in their home, validate the wonderfulwork parents do to help their children, andencourage parents to continue the difficultwork of developing new, positive habits. 21

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RISE AGAINST HUNGERPREPACKAGED MEALS Hunger and malnutrition were major issueswhen Global Volunteers first initiated the RCPProgram in Ukwega ward in 2017. Learningthat pregnant women and new moms ateprimarily corn-based ugali, and children wentto school hungry, defined the early efforts ofthe RCP Program because hungry childrencannot learn, and the lack of nutritious foodfor the women adversely affected their andtheir babies’ health. To stabilize families living with chronic hungerthat results from poverty, and transition theminto self-reliance, it was imperative to providepregnant and breastfeeding women and theiryoung children with supplemental meals tobuild strength and mental energy. GlobalVolunteers quickly partnered with RiseAgainst Hunger, a US-based internationalnongovernmental organization (INGO), todistribute donated nutritious prepackagedmeals and micronutrient packets to villagefamilies and schools free of charge. Throughindividual and family foundationcontributions, Global Volunteers ships themeals to Dar es Salaam, where they clearcustoms, and are transported to the villagesfor safe storage and distribution. RCP mothers and their young children who donot attend school, and preschool and primaryschool students receive two of thesenutritious meals daily. Moms receive a supplyof meals every month and prepare them athome. The school meals are prepared andserved by RCP staff cooks. Every student hasone school meal prior to their first class andanother before going home at the end of theschool day, which supplement thegovernment’s provision of ugali for lunch.Therefore, school children in Ukwega wardreceive three meals daily plus the additionalfood they eat at home. School headmastersreport that since these supplemental mealshave been provided through the RCPProgram, class attendance has greatlyincreased, students are more alert, and theystay in school for the full day. 22

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Since the first RCP mother proclaimed in2018, “Diarrhea is history in our house,”hundreds more families have reported thesame. This may not seem an especiallyimportant accomplishment to mostAmericans or Europeans; until they learn thatdiarrhea is a leading killer of small children indeveloping communities. Eradicatingdiarrhea is extremely important to families.Proper sanitation and hygiene prevent notonly diarrhea, but also typhoid, cholera, andother infectious diseases. The RCP Programteaches children and adults thathandwashing with soap and water after usingthe toilet, changing a baby, and beforepreparing and eating meals is a simple andeffective habit that protects families’ health.Global Volunteers provides each RCP familywith a handwashing station to install neartheir toilet, outside the kitchen, or close bytheir eating area. This is the primaryhousehold technology that thwarts diarrheabecause all family members can wash theirhands with soap and water regularly. PREVENTING DISEASEHANDWASHING STATIONSGlobal Volunteers did not invent thehandwashing station, but rather, modified thewooden “Tippy Tap” that was used in Indiaand other countries for many years. Thelearning from the first model was thatwooden Tippy Taps can be repurposed forfire fuel in times of need. That required adifferent design. PVC pipe, which is long-lasting and fire-resistant, proved to be abetter material. The PVC pipe posts are planted in concrete tostabilize the station. The surrounding area isfilled with rocks, stones, and pebbles levelwith the adjoining ground for efficientdrainage. A clean plastic gallon water jug,filled with the purest water available, alongwith six drops of bleach to eliminate bacteria,is attached to the crossbar. A plastic pedal isconnected to the jug, so when it is steppedon, acts as a lever to tip the water jug enoughto pour onto the hands. The soap attached tothe crossbar makes it readily available. Families who attend the hygiene workshopare qualified to receive a handwashing stationand teach their children the importance ofand how to effectively wash their hands withsoap and water. Shortly thereafter, diarrheain their house is also history. When neighborslearn that other moms are no longer dealingwith diarrhea, they, too, ask for handwashingstations.2424

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The first RCP volunteer team served inIpalamwa in July 2017. One assignment wasto assess the services, conditions, andneeds of the local government health centerto determine the level of availablehealthcare. Unlike the experience servingother Tanzania villages since 1988, GlobalVolunteers learned that healthcare wasextremely limited in Ipalamwa, and familieswere dissatisfied with the available care. Atthat time, there was no running water in thegovernment health center, no containers fordispensing medicines, and the facility was indisrepair – broken windows, fracturedceilings, cracking paint, dirty curtains, anduncovered metal delivery stirrups. The headnurse’s “need list” included an incinerator tosafely dispose of bacteria-laden materials,window repair, a refrigerator, a properdelivery bed, a medical doctor, and a toiletand sink with running water. Village leaders, the Tanzania host, the RCP caregivers, andvolunteers all identified the critical need for anew modern health clinic. Today, the newly constructed IpalamwaGeneral Clinic (IGC) is a modern and sanitaryhealthcare facility staffed by Tanzaniaprofessionals. Two full-time medical doctors,two nurse midwives, a pharmacist, a labtechnician, a clinic manager, a well-babyattendant, a receptionist, and housekeepershelp ensure lifesaving services to hundreds offamilies. Patients from 10 surrounding villagesreceive pre- and post-natal care, safedeliveries, readily available medicines, regularcheckups, vaccinations, and dental services.All children under 18, adults over 60, andevery RCP family member receive care andmedicines at no charge. This clinic addressesthe third SDG, to “Ensure healthy lives andpromote well-being for all at all ages.”ENSURING SAFE AND HEALTHY CHILDBIRTHHEALTH CLINIC 2526

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Family baseline and follow-up surveysshowed that before joining RCP, familiescould visit a medical facility when neededonly 30% of the time, but that rose to 67%after joining the program.A new pre-natal “House for New Moms”adjacent to the IGC offers safe andcomfortable double-occupancy lodging forpregnant women for one to two weeks priorto delivery. The RCP Program provides round-trip transportation and three nutritious mealsdaily at no charge. Mothers can now avoid therisks of traveling over dangerous gravelmountain roads on the back of a motorcyclewhile in labor. However, women who requirea cesarean section still must endure the rockyand treacherous 90-minute drive to theclosest hospital to deliver. To address thisneed, Global Volunteers is constructing anoperating theater that will offer scheduledand emergency C-sections. A nurseanesthetist and a physician assistant will jointhe medical team who together will continueto improve children’s futures and save lives. Twenty-two percent of families believedthey received high-quality healthcarebefore joining RCP and 74% said they gothigh-quality healthcare after joining theprogram. 0 20 40 60 80 100RCP FamiliesTanzania22%74%Before RCPRCP0 20 40 60 80 100RCP FamiliesTanzania30%67%Before RCPRCP0 20 40 60 80 100RCP FamiliesTanzania22%74%Before RCPRCP0 20 40 60 80 100RCP FamiliesTanzania59%95%Before RCPRCPTwenty-two percent of families reportedthey could afford their healthcare visitsbefore enrolling in RCP, but after joiningRCP, 74% could afford visits. Fifty-nine percent trusted their healthcareprovider before the IGC was constructedcompared to 95% who trusted the IGChealthcare providers. All this data confirms a high level ofsatisfaction among RCP families. 27

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TREMENDOUS PROMISETHE FUTURE HOLDSIt is truly amazing what these village parentshave accomplished in six short years. Today,89% of all Ukwega ward families are enrolledin the RCP Program, a participation rate muchgreater than originally anticipated. As theirinvolvement grows, so does GlobalVolunteers’ commitment to the 40% of food-insecure families, the 24% of children who arestill stunted, and the 98% of mothers whoreport some degree of anxiety anddepression symptoms. The RCP Program enables the rural poor tobecome sustainably food self-reliant and foodsecure, provides families access to modernhealth care, offers quality classroominstruction so every child can reach theirpotential, and supports mental health sofamilies can realize their dreams. Sufficient nutrition, modern physical andmental health care, and quality educationchange children’s lives beyond imagination.This model is not complicated, but it doesrequire a large investment in the nextgeneration. But the return on that investmentis enormous! Toward that end, Global Volunteers intends tocontinue serving these villages and beyond inthe following ways. 29

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Prepackaged meals and micronutrientsupplements are critical for familiesexperiencing episodic or chronic hunger, butthey are not a long-term solution. Rather,when the rural poor grow their ownnutritious vegetables, raise sufficient animalprotein, know how to prepare healthy mealsusing safe and fuel-efficient stoves, andperhaps even sell excess produce, theirworld improves dramatically. Most families in Ukwega ward eat primarilyUgali, a corn-based staple that is filling, but isinadequate nourishment. It’s this ground-level conundrum that parents face when theyknow that children need to eat fruits andvegetables for their brains to develop andtheir bodies to grow strong. But what canthey do if vegetables are unavailable nearby,outside their budget, or they do not haveland or good soil to grow them? Theirchildren suffer significantly. Insufficientmicronutrients in children’s diets, especiallyduring the first 1,000 days of life, result inlifelong cognitive impairment and serioushealth issues. Global Volunteers and the EarthBox®company collaborate to provide high-producing container gardens as a keycomponent of the RCP Program. EarthBoxesare “magic boxes!” They are three to fourtimes more productive, need less water, andrequire less labor than a similar size “shovel-in-the-dirt” garden. ENABLING SUSTAINABLE FOOD SELF-RELIANCEHOUSEHOLD FOOD PRODUCTIONFurther, EarthBoxes can be placed anywhereand used by families who do not own or haveaccess to farmland. Moreover, the boxes canbe reused multiple times a year for manyyears. Almost any vegetable can be grown in anEarthbox. It’s estimated that in the climate ofthe highlands of south-central Tanzania, oneEarthBox can provide a yearly supply ofmicronutrients for a teenager or adult, or twopreteens. Global Volunteers provides the fiveEarthBoxes needed for an average family.Common vegetables grown by RCP parentsare tomatoes, Chinese cabbage, spinach,cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, carrots, andonions. Global Volunteers also grows and provides theseedlings planted in boxes three to four timesper year. Thus far, 950 EarthBoxes have beendistributed to 190 RCP families after theyattend an EarthBox gardening workshop.These families are realizing stunning results.As one RCP mom reported, “I save time andmoney. Instead of going far to get vegetables,you can harvest the vegetables from theEarthBox at your home.” 31

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To accompany the greenhouse at the RCPCenter, which currently produces all theseedlings, and to reduce overall costs, agreenhouse will be constructed andmanaged by the local people in everyvillage. Over the long term, seeds will beharvested and used to grow seedlings,further improving the program’s cost-effectiveness. And, using natural organicfertilizer produced by chickens, pigs, andother farm animals is being investigated.Vegetables are a necessary, but notsufficient ingredient in a healthy diet.Eggs, one of the most nutritious foods on theplanet are almost pure protein of very highquality and can play a key role in fightinghunger and malnutrition in poor countries. Local families and Global Volunteers haveconstructed 115 household chicken coops. Afull-time poultry specialist assists the families,each of whom raises 10 chicks supplied by theRCP Program. Within a few months, the grownchickens produce eggs, often providing eachfamily member one egg a day. At the end oftheir egg-laying lifespan, the chickens becomeanother source of protein for the families,while others are sold to purchase additionalchicks, thus ensuring a sustainable supply ofeggs. In addition, how to include dairy is beinginvestigated.262632

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All the while, with the assistance of short-termvolunteers, 100 families constructed safe,fuel-efficient household cooking stoves toimprove meal preparation and ventdangerous pollutants out of the house. Mostfamilies cook over an indoor wood-firedthree-stone stove which causes women toinhale toxic fumes for extended periods,equivalent to 400 cigarettes per hour, oftenwhile carrying a baby on their back. The newstoves vent the smoke out of the house.Further, they enhance combustion andreduce the fuel needed to cook. Energy-efficient and environmentally sound, ventedstoves improve health, minimize biomassconsumption, decrease forest and landdegradation, and reduce the labor to collectwood, typically performed by overburdenedwomen and school children. 27The stoves enable safe meal preparation andoffer women more time to care for theirchildren, attend educational workshops, bepresent for home visits, and implement thelessons learned at workshops - all of whichcontribute to the overarching RCP Programgoals. However, with 850 enrolled families,Global Volunteers must still provide 750additional stoves; so there is much to do. 33

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With the catalytic assistance of staff andbusiness volunteers over six years, eightwomen’s cooperatives have been establishedin Ukwega ward. The first co-op, started inIpalamwa, served as a model for women inother villages who learned how to start theirown co-ops. Nearly 90 women, representing10 percent of all families enrolled in the RCPprogram, are currently engaged in theserevenue-generating businesses, allproducing profits. They make and sell avariety of products including liquid soap,bracelets, baskets, purses, children’s toys,backpacks, and tote bags. These productsare sold both locally and internationally.Volunteers also infuse the local economy bybuying these unique handcrafted items. With small loans from Global Volunteers,some of the co-ops purchased sewingmachines and now create dresses, shirts,sweaters, and home products, many of themusing traditional Batik (tie and dye). Otherco-op projects include tailoring services,raising piglets for meat production, growingbeans, potatoes, and peas, and producingtomato and chili sauces for sale in theircommunities. Some co-ops also sellrepackaged tins of dried fish, sunflowercooking oil, and small bags of rice. Womenreport that co-ops increase their standard ofliving, teach them business andentrepreneurial skills such as sales,management, and small-scale GENERATING INCOMEVILLAGE COOPERATIVESmanufacturing, and open a door to newopportunities that help improve their personaland family life. Village cooperatives help address SDG Goal 8,to “Promote sustained, inclusive andsustainable economic growth, full andproductive employment and decent work forall.” Increased economic activity in acommunity is crucial to eliminating poverty.Global Volunteers continues to support thesewomen entrepreneurs so they can expandtheir small businesses. The organization alsorecently agreed to help a group of village mento start their own co-op. 2935

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The basic concept of rainwater harvesting isto catch rainwater as it falls from the sky butbefore it hits the ground and becomescontaminated. Global Volunteers hasexperimented with household and schoolwater harvesting systems that capture andfunnel rainwater from buildings’ roofs to feed5,000- and 10,000-liter containers. The waterthat’s filtered from roofs runs through aspigot near the bottom of the container. CATCHING RAINWATER WATER HARVESTING The annual rainfall in this part of the world fillsa 5,000-liter container for a family’sconservative use outside the rainy season.Moreover, once installed and properlymaintained, the harvesting systems canprovide water for many years, or decades.Water harvesting systems help address SDG 6,“Ensure availability and sustainablemanagement of water and sanitation for all.”Unfortunately, the system’s initial investmentis relatively high, approximately $1,000 perhousehold, largely associated with the cost ofthe container. Consequently, most familiescannot afford this luxury. 3037

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In 2018, with the guidance andencouragement of Global VolunteersTanzanian partner, the organization'sCofounder and Senior Vice President MicheleGran initiated a mental wellness discussion inIpalamwa by sharing her own family’sjourney with her son’s illness. Village families'overwhelmingly positive response to thetopic invited further education on the causes,interventions, and treatments for mentalillness. After the pandemic lockdown was lifted in2021, Michele launched Global Volunteers’Mental Wellness Initiative to provide RCPfamilies psychosocial support in the areas ofgrief, depression, anxiety, gender-basedviolence, alcohol abuse, trauma, and relatedconditions – all resulting from pervasivepoverty and sexist cultural norms in ruralareas. In collaboration with mental healthprofessionals from Iringa University, IringaReferral Hospital, and Ilula Lutheran Hospital,volunteers with professional and learnedexperience present mental wellnessworkshops, public presentations, and directtherapy. In 2023, Global Volunteers cooperated withDr. Shelley Haddock and Colorado StateUniversity on a comprehensive communitymental health needs assessment to guidepriority mental wellness interventions.Through additional volunteer and foundation INTEGRATING MENTAL HEALTH INTO PRIMARY CAREMENTAL WELLNESSfunding, Global Volunteers collaborated withthe Mental Health Association of Tanzania toconduct interpersonal therapy training forstaff caregivers so village-based supportgroups could be offered. At the same time,four Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) groups wereinitiated with the support and guidance of theIringa Sober House and the encouragement ofvillage and religious leaders. With the assistance of Dr. Silas Mosha, Doctorin Charge at the Ipalamwa General Clinic (IGC),Dr. Petro Lusasi, Psychiatrist at Ilula LutheranHospital, Dr. Yusto Kinyoa, Psychologist atIringa Referral Hospital, Dr. Anicetus Cristian,Mental Health Coordinator, IringaSecretariate, and collaboration with theUniversity of Iringa Psychology Faculty, GlobalVolunteers developed integrated mental andphysical health approaches in many importantareas to address peri-natal depression, familyconflict, gender-based violence, harmful childdiscipline practices, 38

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The RCP Program is replicable and scalablebecause it primarily depends upon the near-universal desire andcommitment of local people to improvetheir children’s lives, and volunteers who desire to share theirknowledge, skills, financial resources, andcompassion. REPLICABLE, SCALABLE, SUSTAINABLEREACHING CHILDREN'S POTENTIAL PROGRAMThe RCP Program will endure, remaineffective, and, with sufficient funding, scaleover the long term primarily because localpeople drive this effort. Families are not justthe beneficiaries of the program; they make ithappen on an ongoing basis. The capacitybuilt from knowledge they learn duringworkshops and the support they receive fromhome visits will serve families well throughouttheir and their children’s lives. The modernhealth clinic with an operating theater andHouse for New Moms will ensure qualityhealthcare for all families. EarthBoxes andchicken coops will enable families tocontinually grow and raise their own food.Handwashing stations will help prevent illnessand disease. Water harvesting systems willprovide a sufficient supply of potable water.Fuel-efficient vented stoves will reduce theneed for biomass fuel while improvingwomen’s and children’s health. Families willgenerate sufficient income through smallbusiness cooperatives and selling excess eggsand vegetables to provide for their basicneeds. With 40 years of experience engaging short-term volunteers, Global Volunteers knowsthat hundreds of thousands of people desireto make the world better and enrich theirown lives through service experience. TheRCP Program allows them to fulfill thoseneeds. Individuals, families, colleges,universities, and corporations havepersonally, or through their students, faculty,employees, and members, served the RCPProgram.40

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VOLUNTEERS CHANGE EVERYTHING!45Many governments and NGOs lack sufficientresources to implement the interventionsnecessary to ensure maternal and childhealth and well-being. This is especiallywidespread in Africa, where, in somecommunities, the prevalence of childhoodstunting exceeds 50 percent. Global Volunteers addresses this gap bymobilizing short-term volunteers to catalyzelocal development and help parents provideessential services crucial to every childreaching their potential. Volunteerscontribute their skills, knowledge, andfunding, vital for the RCP Program’s success. The RCP program is community driven,consistent with Global Volunteers’philosophy that successful developmentrelies on engaged community leadership andcommunity members active involvement.Volunteers work under the direction of localleaders and alongside local people on long-term community development projects. Volunteers share science-based informationabout child development, healthcare, foodand nutrition, disease prevention, and familyplanning requested by parents and helpfacilitate its practical application. Volunteersteach in schools, accompany staff on homevisits, and provide professional expertise inthe health clinic. Importantly, volunteersoffer crucial psychosocial support to parentsand families, thus ensuring the efficacy ofthe RCP Program.

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Founded in 1984 as a private, nonprofit, human and economic development INGO basedin St. Paul, Minnesota – USA.40,000 short-term volunteersserving on long-termdevelopment projects.200+ communities in36 countries on sixcontinents.GOALIn consultative status with the United Nations ECOSOC. Focused on community-drivendevelopment.MISSIONTo wage peace and promote justicethrough mutual internationalunderstanding.To create, nurture, and sustain the well-being of the world’s children and theircommunity, that they might realize the fullpromise of their human potential.PRESUPPOSITIONSLocal People Are Always in Charge Go only where invited 1.Do what asked to do 2. Serve under the direction of local leaders 3.Work hand-in-hand with local people 4.Support sustainable community-based projects5.Volunteers are “servant-learners,” working with and learning from local people. Featured on CNN, CBS Early Show, NBC Today Show, ABC Evening News, theOprah Winfrey Show, People Magazine, Newsweek, Woman’s Day, The ChristianScience Monitor, The New York Times, The L.A. Times, The Boston Globe, Wall StreetJournal, and China Daily.40 YEARS OF SERVICE WORLDWIDEGLOBAL VOLUNTEERS49

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END NOTESUnited Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (n.d.) Goal 1. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal1 1.The objective descriptor “rural poor” is used when referring to the target population served in Ukwega ward tocomply with community development standards, and not as a subjective or evaluative term for individuals withwhom Global Volunteers collaborates and who benefit from the RCP program. 2.Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center (2023). Reaching children’s potential (RCP) program in Ukwega Ward, KiloloIringa Tanzania: Impact evaluation report. Unpublished manuscript.3.Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population (%) – Tanzania. (n.d.) World Bank Data.Retrieved January, 20, 2024, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SN.ITK.MSFI.ZS?locations=TZ 4.Tanzania Ministry of Health (MOH), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Office of the Chief Government Statistician(OCGS), and ICF. (2022). Tanzania demographic and health survey and malaria indicator survey final report.https://www.dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR382/FR382.pdf 5.Global Volunteers (2022). Reaching Children's Potential Program Impact Report.https://docs.globalvolunteers.org/rcp-impact-report-20226.Lechtig, A., Cornale, G., Ugaz, M.E., & Arias, L. (2009). Decreasing stunting, anemia, and vitamin A deficiency in Peru:Results of the Good Start in Life Program. Food Nutrition Bulletin, 30(1),37-48. doi: 10.1177/156482650903000104 7.52

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All other programs estimate under prevalence among children 5 and younger. Save the Children. (2019). NOURISHproject endline survey report.https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/pdf/NOURISH+Project+Endline+Survey+Report+April+2019+Final.pdf/ Lechtig, A., Cornale, G., Ugaz, M.E., & Arias, L. (2009). Decreasing stunting, anemia, and vitamin A deficiency in Peru:Results of the Good Start in Life Program. Food Nutrition Bulletin, 30(1),37-48. doi: 10.1177/156482650903000104 7.World Bank. (2021). Rwanda stunting prevention and reduction project (P164845): Implementation and results report. https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/162771633217142770/pdf/Disclosable-Version-of-the-ISR-Rwanda-Stunting-Prevention-and-Reduction-Project-P164845-Sequence-No-07.pdf 8.Tango International. (2015). SHOUHARDO II final quantitative performance evaluation: SHOUHARDO II multi-yearassistance program (MYAP). https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1866/SHOUHARDO%20II%20Draft%20Quantitative%20Evaluation.pdf 9.Africare. (2018). The impact of social and behavior change interventions in the Mwanzo Bora nutrition program (MBNP):Program assessment brief. https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00T5SQ.pdf10.Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture. (n.d.). Amalima. https://www.cnfa.org/program/amalima/ 11.1,000 Days (n.d.) Why 1,000 days? https://thousanddays.org/why-1000-days12.Lee, E., Mitchell-Herzfeld, S.D., Lowenfels, A.A., Green, R., Dorabawila, V., & DuMont, K.A. (2009). Reducing low birthweight through home visitation: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 36, 154-160. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2008.09.029.13.Shin, S.H., & Choi, C., (2023). Improving birth outcomes among low-income families: The effect of a home visitingintervention. Clinical Pediatrics, 62(11), 1375-1379. doi:10.1177/000992282311583614.Liu, N., Li, Ping., Wang, J., Chen, D., Sun, W., & Zhang, W. (2019). Effects of home visits for pregnant and postpartumwomen on premature birth, low birth weight and rapid repeat birth: a meta-analysis and systematic review ofrandomized controlled trials. Family Practice, 36(5), 533–543, https://doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cmz00915.Sabo, S., Wightman P., McCue, K., Butler, M., Pilling, V., Jimenez, D.J., Celaya, M., & Rumann, S. (2021). Addressingmaternal and child health equity through a community health worker home visiting intervention to reduce lowbirth weight: retrospective quasi-experimental study of the Arizona Health Start Programme, BMJ Open,11(e0450140), doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045014 16.Campbell, F.A., & Ramey, C.T. (1994), Effects of early intervention on intellectual and academic achievement: Afollow-up study of children from low-income families. Child Development, 65, 684-698.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.1994.tb00777.x 17.Bugental, D.B., Ellerson, P.C., Lin, E.K., Rainey, B., Kokotovic, A., & O'Hara, N. (2002). A cognitive approach to childabuse prevention. Journal of Family Psychology, 16(3):243-58. doi: 10.1037//0893-3200.16.3.243. 18.Goldfeld, S., Bryson, H., Mensah, F., Gold, L., Orsini, F., Perlen, S., ... & Kemp, L. (2021). Nurse home visiting andmaternal mental health: 3-year follow-up of a randomized trial. Pediatrics, 147(2).https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2020-025361 19.Ammaniti, M., Speranza, A. M., Tambelli, R., Muscetta, S., Lucarelli, L., Vismara, L., & Cimino, S. (2006). A preventionand promotion intervention program in the field of mother–infant relationship. Infant Mental Health Journal, 27(1),70-90. https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.2008120.United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (n.d.) Goal 2. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal2 21.United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (n.d.) Goal 4. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal422.UNICEF. (2024, January). Diarrhea. https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-health/diarrhoeal-disease/23.United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (n.d.) Goal 3. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal324.Gunnars, K. (2022, December 22). 9 health benefits of eating eggs. Healthline.https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/proven-health-benefits-of-eggs25.Morris, S., & Lambert, T. (2018, October 23 – November 11). Eggs: harnessing their power for the fight againsthunger and malnutrition [Online discussion session]. Food and Agriculture Organization: Global Forum on FoodSecurity and Nutrition. https://www.fao.org/3/ca3569en/ca3569en.pdf26.Smith K. R., & Pillarisetti, A. (2017) Household air pollution from solid cookfuels and its effect on health. In V., D.Patel, T. Chisholm, R. Dua, R. Laxminarayan, & M. E. Medina-Mora, (Eds.) Disease control priorities, (3rd ed., Vol.4).Washington, DC: World Bank. doi:10.1596/978-1-4648-0426-727.United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (n.d.) Goal 2. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal228.United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (n.d.) Goal 8. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal829.United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (n.d.) Goal 6. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal630.United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (n.d.) Goal 3. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal331.53

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