BeadforLife works on health issues in several different ways;

1. Malaria Testing and Treatment Vouchers - Because of the high rate of malaria among beaders and their families, BeadforLife recently partnered with several local health clinics to make malaria testing and treatment available. Beaders can trade beads for malaria vouchers whenever they need them.

2. HIV Testing for Children - The diagnosis of HIV in children is important, since care is now available and can support the health of the child.  BeadforLife arranges for free HIV testing for any child of any of our members.  Only16 percent of the beaders’ children had been previously tested for HIV. Click here to find out how BFL provided free HIV testing for children.

3. Family Planning Vouchers - Members who are interested in family planning services can trade beads for vouchers which can be redeemed at a Family Planning Clinic.  Since large families undermine the possibility of overcoming poverty, many of our members avail themselves of this opportunity.

4. Health Education – BeadforLife holds sessions covering childhood illness, prevention of diarrhea diseases, caring for HIV+ children, malaria prevention and care, and basic household first aid.  Family planning sessions are offered and include husbands or partners. A peer-educator training on HIV issues instructs group members to act as resource people to others in their communities.

5. Health Products Distribution – In keeping with our philosophy, BeadforLife subsidizes half the cost of these items, and then accepts beads as payment for the balance of the cost. BeadforLife distributes products including:

• Mosquito nets - Several thousand nets have been distributed. Click here for details on how the Mosquito Net Program works.

• Condoms – To prevent unwanted pregnancy and the spread of HIV, we make condoms available to our members.

• Reading glasses – Currently, the glasses are donated to BeadforLife by Eyes on Africa.
  

6. International Hospital of Kampala Grant - BeadforLIfe supports a charity bed at the International Hospital of Kampala.  This allows us to provide hospitalization to our members who are in need of acute, serious, or surgical care.

7. Grants to Health Care Providers - Support for other organizations providing health care.

At 15, David Torach’s feet began to swell as fluid accumulated with alarming speed.  Soon both of his legs were deformed, growing impossibly big. He was suffering from elephantiasis, a permanent condition in which lymph fluid cannot re-circulate and pools in the calves and feet. In January, under our sponsorship of a charity bed at the International Hospital in Kampala, doctors operated on the first leg, and on the second in July. The photo shows David in the period between his two surgeries. Putting on his shoes is now a great delight. David says with a smile, “I’m going to go home to my people in the north and show off my new legs.”

David between the two operations on his legs

Make a donation. Donations to BeadforLife go directly towards eradicating poverty in Uganda. 93 cents of every dollar is invested in community development work fighting extreme poverty, including projects in health care, vocational training for out-of-school youth, affordable housing, and entrepreneurial skills development. BeadforLife is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (tax ID: 20-1683139). Donations are tax deductible.