June also saw Bridge2Aid complete their 71st training programme, meaning that they have now trained 369 rural health workers in emergency dental care. This sustainable model means that once the UK volunteers have left the country the health workers are able to continue treating their local communities for years to come.
The first area where training was delivered was Morogoro which is one of the poorest and most densely populated parts of Tanzania. Most of the inhabitants are subsistence farmers who rely heavily on the surrounding forests for timber, medicinal plants and fuel. The other location was Pangani in the north east of the country, bordered by Kenya and the Indian Ocean.
There is a desperate need to tackle oral disease, infection and chronic pain in communities throughout the developing world – to enable people to work, attend school and care for their families. Bridge2Aid works hard to deliver the necessary skills in these communities so that local people are able to function free from pain, and avoid the risk of preventable infections and diseases.
If you would like to get involved, either by volunteering or donating to help fund this vital training, please visit www.bridge2aid.org