From training 18 new Community Health Workers in rural El Salvador to expanding chronic disease outreach in Uganda, the spring months of 2026 highlighted growth, leadership, and the multiplying impact of community-based healthcare.
In March 2026, our team returned to Texistepeque, El Salvador, with a mission to strengthen local healthcare from the ground up. Through intensive training and hands-on workshops, we successfully certified 44 new Community Health Workers in life-saving skills ranging from advanced first aid to maternal health. Read on to see the measurable impact of this trip, the challenges we overcame, and how your continued support is building a healthier, more resilient future for these rural communities.
The first months of 2026 highlight resilience and growth across our Community Health Worker network. From strategic planning and expanded outreach in Uganda to emergency preparedness in El Salvador and flood response in Zimbabwe, CHWs are beginning the year with commitment and compassion.
From monthly meetings that never missed a beat to large-scale maternal health trainings in Uganda, the second half of 2025 showed what’s possible when Community Health Workers are consistently supported. This impact update highlights milestones, community events, and the quiet, faithful work of CHWs serving across El Salvador and Uganda.
As International HELP celebrates ten years of global impact, we’re sharing powerful stories from the Community Health Workers who are transforming health in their communities. From maternal health in Zimbabwe to nutrition training in Haiti and malnutrition screening in Uganda, these everyday leaders show what lasting change looks like in action.
Over the past two months, our Community Health Workers (CHWs) have been working diligently—hosting community events, educating neighbors, responding to local health concerns, and demonstrating creativity and commitment. Whether it’s tackling mosquito-borne diseases, helping at local clinics, or finding new ways to visibly represent their role, these CHWs continue to be the first line of health support in their communities. Here’s a look at what they’ve been up to:
The Las Negritas Community Health Workers (CHWs) rallied together with community members, church members, and children from the local school to work together to clean their community. The groups worked to pick up trash, organize recycling, and clean common spaces. This initiative not only beautified the area but also helped prevent diseases by removing trash and standing water that attract mosquitoes.
The CHWs of Ojo de Agua hosted an “Abatización” campaign, creating and distributing mosquito-killing treatment bags to prevent dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases. They went house to house to ensure proper use, showcasing a proactive approach to fighting mosquitos.
In April, CHWs in El Jute met to discuss asthma and allergies and raised concern over an uptick in Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease among children. In May, they focused on personal hygiene—covering handwashing, skin infections, and household cleanliness. In both meetings, CHWs reported taking community members’ blood pressure and helping others recognize common symptoms of illness.
The Zimbabwe CHWs have been asking for more identification to help them while they work in their communities. While in Zimbabwe in April for their Advanced Nutrition Certification, we were able to design and order t-shirts for them. The shirts were finally delivered! These shirts help legitimize their presence and reinforce their role as trusted health leaders in their neighborhoods.
These snapshots show what’s possible when CHWs are equipped, empowered, and trusted by their communities. From tackling disease outbreaks to supporting clinic operations and creating healthier environments, their ripple effect is undeniable. As we move into summer, we look forward to continued momentum—and to celebrating more CHW wins with you along the way.
Each month, we celebrate the continued dedication of International HELP’s Community Health Workers (CHWs) around the world. From tackling health misinformation to providing critical education and referrals, CHWs are bringing lasting change to their communities–one conversation, one training, one life at a time. In this update, we’re highlighting powerful stories and progress from El Salvador, Haiti, and Honduras during February and March 2025.
The El Jute CHW group met on February 19 to explore two critical topics: substance abuse and domestic violence. Alongside the training, the group hosted a unique and joyful community activity.
Group leader Xiomara shared: “I would like to inform you that today we had a get-together and the monthly meeting at the same time, it was nice. I also did an experiment where we took blood pressure before and after running. Each person also brought a fruit to share with the children who were there.”
The group also completed their biannual survey. Here’s what we learned:
Our CHWs in Carrefour met throughout the first three months of the year to address key health topics with their communities:
Across these three months, the active CHWs in Haiti reported reaching nearly 4,700 individuals with health support, including education and referrals related to fever, flu, diarrhea, anemia, and more.
In March, the group completed their biannual CHW survey. Highlights include:
In honor of World Tuberculosis Day, CHWs in Nueva Esperanza took part in a community walk and health fair on March 26. The event included health education talks, medical consultations, blood pressure and glucose checks, fluoride application, and vaccinations.
One of our CHWs, Waldina, proudly joined the walk with her child—who even made a sign to raise awareness about TB. These kinds of public events help reinforce the visibility of CHWs and provide tangible support and education to the broader community. We’re so proud of our CHWs for taking active roles in events like this that center community health and prevention.
As we move into the next quarter, we’re excited to continue equipping Community Health Workers (CHWs) with the tools, knowledge, and support they need to serve their communities. In the months ahead, we’ll be supporting advanced trainings, evaluating impact through follow-ups, and welcoming new CHWs into our growing global network.
Stay tuned for more stories of transformation, resilience, and community-led health!
As we step into 2025, our Community Health Workers (CHWs) continue to make a profound impact in their communities. From health education to life-saving interventions, their dedication is transforming lives. Here are some of the incredible highlights from January:
Group leader Fritznel trained approximately 400 children in nutrition and blood pressure monitoring. Children expressed gratitude, recognizing how this knowledge could save lives in their community:
CHWs met in their monthly meeting to discuss stress, anxiety, and depression, topics the group felt were critical for their community. One of the CHWs shared a powerful testimony about the importance of mental health discussions:
CHWs in Gwanda gathered for their first monthly meeting of 2025 to discuss rabies prevention due to frequent dog bite cases and high treatment costs, stressing the importance of dog vaccination.
CHW Success Stories:
Our CHWs are already planning impactful initiatives for the months ahead. Stay tuned for February updates, and thank you for supporting our mission to empower CHWs worldwide!
As 2024 draws to a close, we’re thrilled to reflect on the incredible work our Community Health Workers (CHWs) have accomplished. Their dedication to improving health outcomes and fostering resilience in their communities continues to inspire us. Below are highlights from July through December, showcasing their impactful initiatives across the globe:
CHWs responded to an emergency in Canton San Miguel, where a woman who had just given birth was attended to and safely transferred to the hospital in Metapán. Their swift action underscores the critical role CHWs play in emergencies.
At their monthly meeting, CHWs discussed cancer prevention and emphasized early detection and vaccination. CHW Olivia reflected: “It was very important to learn about exams to avoid uterine cancer and how crucial it is to vaccinate girls at age 11 to prevent HPV.”
CHWs led efforts to combat a dengue outbreak by fumigating mosquito breeding grounds, clearing stagnant water and trash, and educating families about prevention. Their leadership galvanized schools, clinics, and neighbors to join the fight, halting the spread of disease and protecting countless lives.
CHWs performed MUAC screenings for children, going door-to-door to identify and refer cases of malnutrition, ensuring timely care for those in need.
Youth health education took center stage as group leader Fritznel taught blood pressure monitoring to a group of school children.
Additionally, in December, CHWs participated in soft-skills training on leadership, conflict resolution, and event planning. They are preparing for a January community health event to promote behavior change.
We’re excited to launch regular blog updates, sharing the incredible work of our CHWs in real-time. Their passion and commitment inspire us, and we look forward to supporting their efforts to create healthier, more resilient communities in the coming year.
Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for partnering with us to empower CHWs worldwide!
Earlier in July I had the opportunity of attending an IHELP trip to Texistepeque in El Salvador! When I was presented with the potential opportunity of going on this trip I was extremely excited and said yes before the question was even finished. Going to other countries and helping the local people in any capacity is something that I am extremely passionate about and hope to continue to do as part of my life’s work. Traveling is such a privilege especially when going outside of the country and I am so grateful for the generous giving by those who donated to IHELP to help make this trip possible.
Although the trip only consisted of a week-long, the work and training that we provided were extremely impactful to those within the Texistepeque area. Never being on an IHELP trip before I was nervous due to simplistic reasons such as, will I really be able to empower these new Community Health Workers (CHWs), are they going to connect with me despite the language barrier, and I even questioned if our work will be reciprocated well enough for them to make an impact within their own communities. All of these questions were reassured and answered on the very first day within minutes of arriving and meeting the new CHWs that we were training in the El Jute area.
The training for this group consisted of 7 very vibrant, personable, talkative, yet very passionate women who were determined to learn new materials that could help make a difference in their community. Being in their presence each day for a week and learning about the different basic struggles in which they face was truly impactful for me and on my life. It was one of the best reminders as to why the work that I was doing with IHELP was so important. One topic that stood out to the CHWs was the importance of clean drinking water. Not realizing how impactful clean water is was not only eye-opening for them but also made an impact on me. We forget within our daily lives to appreciate the little things in life, like clean water, not a day goes by where I really question if my water is safe and clean to drink. However, the process in which each of these women and everyone in their community has to go through just to obtain “clean” water is extremely extensive. Without this training, these women and those within their communities would not have known to take precautions towards different types of water sources. Thankfully with the help of our generous donors, we were able to supply them with information and supplies that help educate them on preventative measures towards potential infectious diseases.
Not only were we able to educate, equip, and empower each of these new CHWs, I also felt empowered due to each of their testimonies that they had to share. Their reasonings as to why they each wanted to become a CHW were extremely raw and vulnerable testimonies. Personally, I was inspired by each of them in different ways and simply by their willingness to not only be the faces for their community in times of need but also their dedication to come and learn from us each and every day. One of them was a new mom to a baby who was just 4 months old. She underwent extreme complications throughout her pregnancy along with her labor process, and her struggle to obtain care at a hospital was gut-wrenching to hear about. Due to the different hardships she endured during this time is the reasoning behind why she wanted to become a CHW, so that way she can help others not struggle with the same issues that she did. Being able to provide not only medical supplies (such as a blood pressure cuffs, stethoscope and a pulse oximeter) but also the basic knowledge on vital signs and the importance of different blood pressure readings, allowed for hope to be implemented within their community due to their ability to now help provide initial care to those within their communities.
I am so extremely grateful for the opportunity that I had to go down to El Salvador and work alongside Ashley (IHELP Fellow) to help continue the IHELP mission. Although we were there to train and provide teachings to new CHWs, they also taught me valuable lessons that needed to be reminded of. The importance of appreciating all the little things that are provided to us and to express gratitude for them was just one lesson that I was reminded of. The work that IHELP continues to do around the world is truly empowering to not only those that receive it but also to those that work/volunteer for the mission as well. This trip is one that I will not forget and I am hopeful that I will not only get to continue this type of work in the future but that exposure to the mission provided by IHELP grows!
– Jordan Rittberger, Intern
