Safe and Healthy Homes
Poverty is Dangerous
One of the greatest dangers of poverty is the ever-present risk of illness and death from disease. Poor health in rural Zimbabwe robs people of strength and capacity to grow food, earn income, and care for their families, and keeps kids out of school. With little access to health care, disease prevention is critical. It is also powerful and achievable.
Seven Interventions
Bopoma Villages has developed the Healthy Homes Program—seven high-impact interventions that break the vicious cycle of illness-malnutrition-poverty. These simple interventions can be implemented by anyone and produce immediate and lasting health benefits. They build the capacity of individuals, families and whole communities to meet their needs and achieve their goals.
Tippy Taps
The simple act of handwashing with soap offers excellent protection against common global killers such as diarrheal diseases and respiratory infections as well as outbreak pathogens. In rural Zimbabwe, where few have running water, a tippy tap provides an effective, low-cost, easy-to-build handwashing station. If soap is not available, wood ash can be used as a cleaning agent.
Rocket Stoves
Most cooking in rural Zimbabwe is done indoors over an open fire--with dangerous consequences. The toxic smoke causes heart and lung diseases, chronic eye conditions, and even blindness. Bopoma Villages has taught families to build rocket stoves that are used outdoors and use less wood to generate more heat with less smoke.