Promote Healthy Communities in Kenya: CHW Program

Dear Partner,

This year has reminded us of the transformative power of someone consistently showing up for families who live far from health centers. Our Community Health Promoters (CHPs) have been doing exactly that—quietly, steadily, and with so much heart. The kind of heart you can feel the moment you step into a village and hear a mother say, “I waited because I knew my CHP would come.”

HopeCore supervised 886 CHPs this year, and with your support, these CHPs completed 187,421 home visits across Tharaka Nithi County. That level of support and supervision keeps CHPs motivated. It refreshes their skills. It ensures they are giving accurate health information. And most importantly, it provides them with a safety net—someone to turn to when they encounter a sick child or a complicated case. When CHPs feel supported, their confidence grows, and communities trust them even more. That trust is the foundation of community health.

This year, we saw the impact of that trust. CHPs mobilized mothers for our village-based maternal and child health clinics, and 4,076 children were reached for growth monitoring. During these sessions, we identified 371 malnourished children and 100 children who had defaulted on immunization. Catching this early is lifesaving.

When a child misses vaccines, they become vulnerable to illnesses that spread quickly and can be deadly—diseases like measles, which cause severe pneumonia and brain swelling. Polio can lead to irreversible paralysis—Diphtheria, known for blocking airways and suffocating children silently. Pertussis (whooping cough) can cause long, life-threatening coughing fits. Tetanus causes painful muscle tightening and breathing difficulties. Hib pneumonia, which can progress rapidly and be fatal. Even rotavirus, which leads to severe dehydration in infants. Identifying these 100 children early protected them—and protected their entire villages—from illnesses that can rapidly spread through communities when immunization gaps appear.

It’s moments like these that remind us why CHPs are irreplaceable. As Olasehinde (2023) describes, they are a “cost-effective and sustainable solution to bridge these gaps in health service delivery,” especially where access is limited. They “act as connectors between health systems and communities.” Because they understand the language and culture of the families they serve, they build “trust-based relationships” that make families feel safe seeking care.

That trust is what allows a CHP to knock on a door and find a malnourished child before the situation becomes severe. It’s what gives a mother the courage to attend a clinic for the first time. It’s what helps households report illnesses early—exactly why CHPs have been described as “instrumental in the early detection of outbreaks” and why they continue to strengthen the entire health system.

Thank you for walking with us. Every home visited, every mother guided, every child protected—it all begins with the circle of care you are part of. Your continued support fuels the dedication of our Community Health Promoters, and by sharing our mission with others who care, you help expand this circle so even more vulnerable families can be reached.

Sincere gratitude,

Partnerships and Fundraising Team,

Village Hopecore International