Improve Education for 400 Children on Idjwi Island

The Idjwi Island Education Fund is pleased to report meaningful progress in the overall health of the childrent at the Buhumba primary school on Idjwi Island.  During the 2023-2024 school year, we have sponsored monthly medical missions to the school led by an attending physician and nurse with support from a medical intern and a community liaison officer.  Each month, our team has examined and treated, as necessary, approximately 200 children at the school and neighboring community.  We have tracked the results.  

The most common medical conditions in the community include malaria, pheumonia, trachoma, conjunctivitis, ringworm, and intestinal parasitosis, most of which are preventable or treatable.  Following the regular testing, preventive measures and treatment during the 2023-2024 school year, the medical team has observed a significant reduciton in the cases of trachoma from approximately 33% of patients in October 2023 to just 2% of patients in May 2024.  Our testing also reflects significant reductions in ringworm and intestinal parasitosis. The improved health of the students supports learning at the school.

Malaria continues to be a concern as approximately 40-50% of the students have tested positive for malaria.  We are redoubling our efforts to provide mosquito nets and education in order to reduce the number of cases of malaria.  We also are emphasizing our hygiene program to promote the overall health care at the school.

Our medical team has recommended a series of measures to build on this progress.  We are working with the team to try to implement these measures in for the school year starting in September.

As always, we appreciate the tremendous support from our donors and GlobalGiving as we try to support these wonderful children.

The Idjwi Island Education Fund was founded in 2010 to support the education of the children in Buhumba Village on Idjwi Island in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since that time, we have:

• Constructed a six-classroom school building and equipped it with desks, chalk boards, and other supplies.
• Developed and implemented a comprehensive medical program with regular intervention to test for, and treat, neglected tropical diseases such as schistosomiasis, trachoma, lymphatic filariasis, and malaria.
• Brought well water to the school to provide a station for hand washing.
• Constructed an administrative building to host the medical program and provide safe storage for medicines.
• Most recently, we have constructed composting latrines to promote hygiene and provide safe fertilizer.
• Provided support for students, teachers, and staff at the school.

Through these efforts, we have improved the educational opportunities for the approximately 500 students at the school. In addition, the health program has promoted improved health and nutrition, which supports learning.

We could not have done this without the generous contributions from our donors. This support allows us to maintain our regular medical testing and intervention. For example, this fall we have identified an outbreak of scabies in the community and are developing a plan and budget to intervene and address the outbreak. We are also working to increase the use of malaria nets.

We hope that you will support us this GivingTuesday when donations are matched on GlobalGiving.

Thank you from the Idjwi Island Education Fund