Morogoro Pharmacy

Massanja Simon lives in the village of Mvuha, located in the district of Morogoro. He has  been operating a pharmacy kiosk in this village for 8 years.  Community Builders, having seen how he was able to get medical services close to the local villagers, gave him a grant of $700 to boost his pharmacy and later payback the profits to the people living in extreme poverty conditions in his network.

This picture shows Massanja in the middle. Cantwell and David paid him a visit last year.

So far Massanja has paid forward to two participants in his community who are living in extreme poverty to start up small businesses for self sustenance.

With his pharmacy kiosk he is operating, he has succeeded to reach a number of people who were sometimes helpless. For instance:
(i) Simple treatment their minor through 'spot diagnosis'
(ii) Referral of complicated detected patients.
(iii) Early detection of diseases which would result into complications.
(iv) To some extent, availability of drugs especially antibiotics and anti malarial as bacterial and malaria infections are the leading diseases
(v) Giving health education to patients living in poor areas.

However he has been facing a number of challenges in his services as follows:
(i) Most of people living in extreme poor condition do believe in witchcraft.
A child who is traditionally prevented from convulsive febrile illnesses. Black ropes/rings round the neck and hand can be seen. This is associated with witchcraft beliefs.
(ii) Lack of a laboratory to support my diagnoses.

An old weighing scale he is using which needs to be exchanged for a digital one.

(iii) Lack of transport to easily reach other areas.
(iv) Opening of a laboratory belonging to Roman Catholic church almost one kilometer from his pharmacy kiosk has led to more patients going to the clinic resulting in reduced sales. 

 

The establishment of simple check-ups will help Simon Massanja restore the patients going to the Roman Catholic dispensary. With the availability of antenatal clinic, and the Road to Health center, patients will visit the kiosk more often. This will in turn lead to  Massanja offering health education to the residents on various diseases. By so doing many will stop believing in witchcraft associated traditions and seek for medical attention.

 

Massanja further reports that, good flow of patients will increase the income in his pharmacy kiosk , this will enable him to pay forward accordingly.

Moshi, Tanzania

Cantwell Lihanda traveled to Moshi last year in August and met 3 ladies and one gentleman who are working hard to make ends meet even though they live in conditions of extreme poverty.

Cantwell met with Mama Amani, a widow who struggles to feed her entire family. Among the family members is her sister, who is mentally challenged and who has two daughters under her care. Mama Amani received a grant of $500 to help boost her business of buying cloth material from Dar es Salaam, sewing clothes and selling them in a local market in Moshi town.

Janet Bosco currently is their leader who also received $500 to boost her business of selling ready made clothes. She is a single mother of two. She says she is doing very well, her business has grown and she has been able to pay forward to one person already.

Mary Mogela is a lady who ails from a strange disease. Her stomach has been swollen for more than ten years. She cannot move or work. She depends on people for food and upkeep. She received a grant of $500 and her sister-in-law started a grocery business which is doing very well now. She is able to continue to feed Mary and has paid forward as a group with the rest of the participants to ten poor people.


Ashrifu Rajabu is a widower with two children. He was selling groundnuts from door to door. With a grant of $500, he started selling shoes from door to door. He currently still sells both ground nuts as well as the shoes.

Together they have paid forward to 10 poor people who have also started small business to sustain themselves.