A Great Start in Gedeo

Thanks to the financial help of the ongoing Gedeo Challenge, we were able to complete our first campaign at Yirgacheffe Health Center and are thrilled to report that it was a rousing success!

Program Coordinator Ashenafi Argata registering women.

We had been planning this venture for over a year and as we got things going last month, we were excited and motivated by the initial community response. We screened 298 women and 40 (13.4%) were VIA positive. We treated 39 of the VIA-positive women with cryotherapy and referred one woman to Dilla Hospital for more advanced treatment. Our clinical team was sure to take the time to provide counseling for the woman and her husband as she went for further treatment.

Grounds for Health can literally say that you started cervical cancer screening and treatment service in Gedeo Zone. You accomplished more here in a few days than what we could have in a few years. Thank you!

Mr. Asfaw Alemu
Zonal Health Department NCD Focal Person

Moving forward, our plan is to work in three facilities in Gedeo and expand with the help of the global coffee community. This is exactly how we grew our service in Sidama Zone and across Ethiopia, leading to 30,000 women seen in just 4 years.

It’s clear that 2019 is off to a great start at Grounds for Health with love and care for women and coffee. We will strive to sustain and expand our impact over the coming years in Ethiopia, Kenya and beyond. Here’s to a great year!