When Olivia first encountered Community Health Evangelism (CHE) in her village in Malawi, she didn’t think she could lead. “I used to look down at myself,” she recalled. “I believed I could have no part in community leadership or development.”
But she decided to take a step.
She joined a local CHE training group and started applying what she learned at home. Bit by bit, she improved the health and habits of her household. The training team noticed her efforts and awarded her two “Healthy Home” certifications. That’s when something shifted.
“I was asked to volunteer as a CHE,” Olivia shared. “I enjoy facilitating health lessons and seeing my neighbors listen and put what we learn into practice. A highlight for me is that diarrhea has been reduced in our community. I’m learning that change starts with me, then spreads out to my neighbors.”
That same spirit of local ownership and transformation is now taking root across Southern Africa.
In Zimbabwe, a group of local CHE trainers recognized another urgent need: economic sustainability. They had a vision—to expand a poultry project that would both feed families and provide income to sustain their ministry. With donor support, the team purchased 430 egg-laying chickens, along with the needed feed and medication.
The results are multiplying. Not only are they generating income, but they’re also modeling sustainable farming for the communities they serve.
And this is just the beginning. Across the region:
- New trainers are preparing to launch CHE in Mozambique, supported by seasoned leaders like a CHE from Malawi.
- Churches in Cape Town are embracing CHE as part of their outreach and marketplace discipleship.
- Leaders are forming new partnerships in Zambia and Zimbabwe, including with the Lausanne Health for All Nations Track.
At Medical Ambassadors International, this is the heart of what we do: we equip communities through Christ-centered health and development, helping people break cycles of poverty and build futures filled with dignity and hope.
From Olivia’s journey of empowerment to a region rising through small-scale innovation—this is what transformation looks like when it starts from within.
You can be part of it.
- Pray for the leaders growing this movement.
- Give to help expand these grassroots efforts.
- Share this story and invite others to join.
Because when one life changes, a whole region can too.
