At Orant, we recognise and value the critical role nutrition plays in human development and national economic development. We recognise that good nutrition is the backbone of a healthy community and its benefits extend beyond human health. Good nutrition is a contributing factor in reducing maternal and child health challenges, minimizing disease prevalence and promoting economic productivity.
Interview with Orant Board Member Dr. Melda Phiri
Orant is excited to welcome Dr. Melda Phiri to our Board of Directors. Like Orant, Dr. Melda Phiri is committed to improving the quality of people’s lives. She believes in the power of research. She is devoted to the pursuit of truth. Please enjoy our interview with her.
What is your profession?
I am a Medical Doctor. I work for the University of North Carolina (UNC) Project Malawi.
How does your profession relate to Orant's work?
Orant Charities Africa runs the following programs: Agriculture and business, healthcare, education, and water and sanitation. Healthcare aligns with my profession.
Tell us a bit about your career journey and major accomplishments.
Being a healthcare provider demands dedication and passion. Since my childhood, I have had a desire to serve others. When I obtained my first degree in science, I realized that I was not satisfied. Hence, I decided to study medicine. After finishing my internship, I worked with Lilongwe Adventist Hospital and Partners in Hope. I decided to take the research route. I was employed by UNC Project in 2016. During my first 3 years at UNC Project, I worked with a team to study pneumonia in under-fives. Seeing severely-ill children cured as a result of our work remains one of my major achievements.
Conducting research is an invaluable tool to understand the complexities of health problems, disapprove lies, uphold truth, and create knowledge that is reliable and authentic. Research develops a better understanding of critical issues. It enhances decision-making capabilities.
What motivates you? What are you passionate about?
I am genuinely interested in helping others and improving the quality of people’s livelihood, especially the disadvantaged. I love what I do, which serves as fuel as I serve patients and study participants and their families.
How do you feel about working with Orant?
Orant is committed to supporting and improving people’s lives, which aligns with my passions. In addition, the organization implements African solutions to solve African challenges. I am excited to offer my skills and knowledge to help Orant continue to accomplish great things.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
Working in the healthcare field will test you personally and professionally in more ways than you can ever imagine. You will meet people who change your life.
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The Orant Journal
For years, our Healthcare program has been making waves in rural Kasese with our Kasese Health Centre and our two Mobile Outreach Clinics, operating in parts of Dowa and Kasungu districts. But have you ever wondered how our Mobile Clinics operate? In our today's blog article, we are shedding more light on what Mobile Outreach Clinics are and how they operate. Visit the link below to learn more.
Every year, the first week of August is dedicated to World Breastfeeding Week. The goal is to highlight the importance of breastfeeding, to encourage and promote breastfeeding and to improve the health of babies and mothers all around the globe. The theme for 2024 Breastfeeding Week is Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All, which aims at celebrating breastfeeding mothers in all their diversity, throughout their breastfeeding journeys, while showcasing the ways families, societies, communities and health workers can have the back of every breastfeeding mother. In today’s blog, we are sharing Malita Yohane’s breastfeeding journey and how it has been a game changer for her son Benjamin Kambambe who was born prematurely.
Imagine a world where noncommunicable diseases no longer hold people back from living the fullest of their lives. A world where quality healthcare services are accessible to all, regardless of socioeconomic status or geographical location. This is what our Healthcare program envisions. Read our latest to learn more about noncommunicable diseases and what our healthcare program is doing to free communities around our Kasese catchment area from the grip of such diseases.
Our Healthcare team is dedicated to improving the overall well-being of people. As part of this effort, this week we are conducting a nutritional assessment to all children aged from 6 months to 59 months and pregnant and lactating mothers in our catchment area. In this week’s blog post, we will explore the importance of this initiative and how it will benefit our community.
On May 12, 2024, we celebrated International Nurses Day, a special occasion aimed at celebrating and recognizing this noble profession. During the occasion, we were also thrilled to have been recognized as the Best Nurses in the Central East zone of the National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives of Malawi (NONM)! Read today’s blog article to learn more about what this means to our team.
Every year on the 25th of April, the whole world commemorates World Malaria Day, which is aimed at highlighting the need for continued effort in malaria control and prevention.
Last week, we were visited by the quality of care assessment team from Dowa District hospital. Read today's blog post to learn about how this exercise is important to us and the community we serve.
We are always happy when our support brings a smile on peoples faces and changes their lives. In this week’s blog article, we are talking to Andrea Mwale, a 41 year old man from Chapuwala village in Kasese. Andrea shares his gratitude towards the support that our Healthcare program has recently provided to him.
Data is one of the most important tools in all our programs as it helps us measure whether our programs are making an impact or when it’s time for change. For the past three weeks, our Education program has been surveying schools in our catchment area. Check out today’s blog to learn more about how this survey is going to contribute to our Education program.