MUNYANTANAGE Andre

Andre is Rwandan and he is a secondary school teacher who speaks English, French, Swahili and his mother-tongue Kinyarwanda. Since the original connection of Thomas Jefferson University and the Rwanda Village Community Promoters with Akarambi in 2009 Andre has been an excellent leader and the programs would not have succeeded without his skills and hard work. He has implemented health-related teachings and group activities for considerable changes and improvements in the welfare of people living in Akarambi and Ruli villages.

Along with the teachings, he's helped install electricity and running water within the villages, modern wood stoves within villagers' homes, and establish cow and pig farming as well as rabbit rearing for better nutrition and income.

The most important outcomes of these teachings are the changes in behavior among the villagers:

• Before receiving the health-related teachings, many people believed that diseases are caused by ghosts and for that they had to consult witch doctors. After receiving the teachings, a great number of them understood that diseases are caused by bacteria, viruses, and germs and for that they have to go to the health centers or hospitals to be diagnosed and treated.

• People understood that early detection can make treatment more efficient, especially for non-communicable diseases (diabetes, high blood pressure , non viral hepatitis, and many forms of cancer).

• People understood that they should avoid bad and dangerous behaviors which can make them sick (excessive consumption of alcohol , drugs abuse , sexual immorality and unprotected sex, etc).

• People understood that pregnant women should go for a prenatal visit and should go to a health center or a hospital for delivery to reduce the risks of both infant and mother deaths during the delivery.

• People (especially children) should be vaccinated according to the national vaccination program (they understood that immunization is the most important key of disease control and prevention).

• All people knew that personal hygiene, as well as a clean home and environment is another important key of disease control and prevention.