Impoverished people worldwide are often the victims of poor health. Poverty forces people to live with poor sanitary conditions, unsafe drinking water, and high population density. Malnutrition and lack of access to preventative health care make poor people, especially children, much more prone to sickness and often even death.

Over 40 percent of BeadforLife members have experienced malaria at least once in the past year and 43 percent are HIV+. Several have lost children to this disease.  Many have tuberculosis, which is still common in the developing world, particularly in those with AIDS.

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 – BeadforLife distributes products, including:

a.   Mosquito Nets - Several thousand nets have been distributed. Click here for details on how the Mosquito Net program works.

b.   First Aid Kits - Each household receives a first aid kit that contains aspirin, bandages, antibiotic ointment, and other basic items.

c.   Condoms

d.     Reading Glasses - Distributed when available.

In keeping with our philosophy, BeadforLife subsidizes half the cost of the these items, and then accepts beads as payment for the balance of the cost.

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. Partner Support - Support for other organizations providing health care