Health care workers outside the newly repaired Thiamene Taba Health Post
We are thrilled to share that our repairs on Andando’s oldest health post, Thiamene Taba, are complete! This post has been a vital community health resource for over a decade providing a safe environment for births, along with access to primary care for numerous day-to-day health needs. (Click here to see the previous blog post on Thiamene Taba.)
Thiamene Taba Health Post: BEFORE & AFTER
The dedicated staff here hold monthly programs to screen for malnutrition, provide vaccinations, and ensure that all children in the area are healthy and developing properly. When the COVID19 pandemic broke out they lead the charge to educate their community about the situation and were even able to advocate to have vaccines administered from this post to keep their village safe.
During Covid-19, health care workers were essential in keeping communities safe through education and instruction on proper hand washing techniques.
In 2022 alone Thiamene Taba saw over 2,500 patients including 39 healthy births. The incredible community health workers here did all of this as unpaid volunteers, relying only on small donations from surrounding villages to support their work. We are incredibly proud of their dedication to the health and well-being of their community, and when we got the call that Thiamene Taba needed a new roof after one of the harshest rainy seasons in decades, we knew we had to find a way to keep this essential community health resource thriving.
Andando is lucky to have amazing partners both in Senegal and back in the United States. Altrusa International of Albany has been a long-time supporter of our work so when we got the call, we reached out to them to see if they would be willing to sponsor the repairs. They enthusiastically agreed and because of Altrusa’s support we were able not only to replace the roof with a brand-new sturdier steel beam supported metal sheeting, but we also patched and painted the entire structure, updated old plumbing, and hooked up the post to the electrical grid which just recently arrived in the village.
The transformation is incredible. Here is what Fatou Thiam, the head midwife of Thiamene Taba, had to say about the project:
Fatou Thiam, midwife at Thiamene Taba Health Post, pictured outside the building during repairs (April 2023).
“Before the repairs when it rained no one could give birth here because water was leaking in everywhere and everything was wet. We couldn’t work in those conditions. Women would have to go far to Keur Soce to give birth and sometimes they didn’t make it in time and would deliver on the road on the way there. This health post is very important for the community, and we thank God it is in a good condition now.”
Because of our ongoing commitment and connection to communities after a project is complete we learned about the need as soon as it occurred. This mutual trust and communication is what makes long-term project success possible.
This success story is only possible due to Andando’s continued connection with our partner communities and the continued support of our donors and partner organizations. We learned about the need as soon as it occurred, were able to find support within just a few short months, and then completed a total renovation well in advance of the next rainy season. This kind of direct project monitoring and rapid response to problems is rare in the development field and it’s a testament to the dedication of Andando’s partner communities, in country staff, and generous donors. This was a huge success for everyone involved and will have a positive impact on Thiamene Taba and the surrounding communities for generations to come. Bravo!