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The Motorcycle Lady

Lucia Simba and her motorcycle visit remote communities on behalf of EHALE, a PWRDF partner in Mozambique, bringing health information and care. Photo: Simon chambers

March 24, 2014

By Simon Chambers

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Lucia Simba has a very large job.  As the District Assistant for Meconta District in Mozambique, she supports over 100 community health workers and home care workers on behalf of EHALE. PWRDF and the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD) are working with EHALE to improve the health of people throughout the region.

Lucia’s territory is vast:  3786 km2 and home to over 175,000 people, 44% of whom are under the age of 15.  She motors around the district on a motorcycle provided to her by PWRDF, allowing her to quickly navigate the dirt roads between communities and to visit several villages in a day when necessary.

“We have to be culturally sensitive when coming to a new district,” she says.  “Right now, we are doing HIV/AIDS work, family planning, and some gender work in Meconta.  We will build to maternal and children’s health.”

EHALE works with the local district leaders to identify which villages will be the best places for Lucia and her colleagues to work.  They then meet with the village leaders to explain their program and get permission to run the program.  The traditional village leaders also choose the people in the village who will be trained as home care workers and Safe Motherhood Promoters.

Lucia’s relationship with the home care workers and community health workers, as well as with the village leaders, allows her team to be very effective in supporting people living with AIDS.  The village workers know all their neighbours, and know who is sick or hasn’t been seen around for a while.  They are able to visit those people and determine their needs, accompany them on medical visits, and help them to learn to manage their HIV.

All the village workers are themselves HIV-positive, so they also act as living examples that the disease can be controlled and that life can go on and even improve for people living with HIV.

Lucia’s work in family planning includes writing a play about the importance of and methods for planning one’s family.  The play is funny and engaging, holding the attention of dozens of audience members in the remote village of Varieque.  After the show, the actors distribute brochures about women’s reproductive health.  “This play will reach 4-500 audiences,” Lucia says.  “These actors will be a permanent troop performing throughout the district.”

Lucia has a very large job.  But she fills it admirably!

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