Bridging the Gap_
MEWATA's Community Outreach
At the Medical Women Association of Tanzania (MEWATA), we believe that healthcare must reach the people where they are. Our Community Outreach Program is the vital bridge that connects our clinical expertise with villages, streets, schools, and homes. We move beyond hospital walls to deliver essential health services, critical education, and a message of hope directly to the doorsteps of those who need it most—especially women, adolescents, and underserved populations in remote and marginalized areas.
How We Bring Healthcare to the Community
Our outreach model is proactive, mobile, and designed for maximum impact. We execute it through several key strategies:
1. Mobile Health Clinics and Screening Camps
We transform temporary spaces into full-service health points.
Integrated Service Delivery: In a single outreach camp, a woman can receive a Clinical Breast Examination (CBE), a cervical cancer screening (VIA), family planning counseling and methods, HIV testing, and a basic health check-up.
Targeted Screenings: We organize specialized camps focusing on breast cancer awareness, diabetes/hypertension checks, and child nutrition assessments.
Logistics: Our teams of doctors, nurses, and volunteers travel with essential medical supplies and equipment to set up temporary clinics in partnership with local leaders.
2. Door-to-Door Education and Mobilization
Health change begins with a conversation.
Trained Community Health Workers (CHWs): We train and deploy trusted local advocates to conduct household visits, provide basic health information, distribute commodities like condoms, and refer community members to health facilities or our mobile camps.
Health Talks and Dialogues: We hold community meetings (barazas) and smaller group sessions (in churches, mosques, women’s groups) to discuss sensitive topics like family planning, gender-based violence, HIV stigma, and cancer signs in a culturally appropriate manner.
3. School and Adolescent Outreach
We invest in the health of the next generation.
School Health Programs: We conduct Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) sessions, mental health talks, and screenings for common conditions in primary and secondary schools.
Adolescent-Friendly Corners: During community outreaches, we often set up dedicated, private spaces where young people can access information, counseling, and services without fear or judgment.
4. Advocacy and Community Sensitization at the Grassroots
We empower communities to advocate for their own health.
Engaging Traditional Leaders: We work closely with village chairpersons, religious leaders, and elders to gain community trust and address harmful norms and practices like child marriage and FGM.
Media for Development: We use local community radio in local languages to broadcast health messages and answer live questions from listeners.
Delivering Essential Services to Every Community
From Urban Centers to the Last Mile
MEWATA’s breast cancer program is active through our national network of medical women professionals. Key activities are centered in:
Building a Stronger, Healthier Future for All
Expanding Our Reach, Deepening Our Impact
