Under large trees in front of Asumbi Mission Hospital, they stand in a circle around a huge cake: 50 Community Health Champions (CHCs), the coordination team, and representatives from the Ministry of Health. It is January 2026 – exactly one year after the project started. Dr. Isa Rait is back on site.
“When I saw the group sitting there, I knew: this project is alive,” she reports. “You can feel the pride and responsibility that each and every one of them carries.”
“You are our eyes in the community,” Sister John Mary, the local project manager, calls out to the CHCs. And that’s exactly what they are: they regularly visit households, educate people about diseases and oral health, accompany patients, and refer people in need of treatment to the hospital. In the first of two project years, the CHCs have visited half of the community members.
Trust that grows
"The CHCs tell us how grateful people are," says Dr. Rait. "Many respectfully call them 'No. 1 doctors'. That shows how much trust they have built up." Dental education in particular is having an impact: "For many families, it is the first time that someone has talked to them about prevention – and in their own homes."
Challenges in the system
But there are also concerns that the CHCs raise and discuss here. "The state health system does not cover necessary treatments," reports Dr. Rait. "If people have to pay for transport and therapy out of their own pockets, they stay at home despite being referred." Various options for giving people access to treatment were discussed. The uncertainty caused by frozen international aid programs also remains. "We don't yet know how much of an impact this will have in the long term."
A bicycle that carries hope
The most emotional moment of the day: the award ceremony for the ten CHCs with the most transfers. When the first prize – a bicycle – is presented, cheers erupt. “The joy was overwhelming,” says Dr. Rait. “Everyone stood up, sang, clapped, and laughed. This bicycle is much more than a prize – it means shorter distances to households, greater reach, more help.” And then it becomes a celebration: the large cake with the inscription “Love in Action – God bless CHC” is shared, and the community celebrates itself.
Strengthening structures for the long term
The project, made possible by the support of the Walter Gastreich Foundation, strengthens local structures in a sustainable manner. It focuses on personal initiative, professionalism, and strengthening the system.
“Access to dental care is not a luxury. It is a matter of justice,” says Dr. Isa Rait. Reliable support is needed to ensure that the Community Health Champions can continue to be “our eyes in the community.”
👉🏽 To continue to secure local health structures, you can donate to our Dental Care Program throughout the year!