In collaboration with the Department of Health in Chuuk, a hygiene program was held during the summer at the premises of the Philadelphia Christian School on Tol Island.

In preparation for the program, our team—composed of four women—visited the people in and around the village of Chukyenu. We prayed with them, provided them with medication, treated wounds, offered a listening ear, and invited them to attend the upcoming workshops.

The workshops were held over five days and included a variety of practical sessions. Participants learned the six steps of proper handwashing and the importance of coughing into the elbow to prevent the spread of disease. One session was dedicated to physical exercises aimed at strengthening the back and improving mobility.

Lively group discussions followed the sessions, allowing us to gain valuable insights from the participants about local medicinal remedies available on the island.

On two of the days, staff members from the Chuuk Department of Health joined us to educate participants about illnesses such as tuberculosis and to administer vaccinations to children.

The program concluded with an interactive game, “The Grand Prize,” in which many participants correctly answered questions related to health and received small gifts as rewards.

The people of Tol, visibly pleased by the week’s activities, were eager to know whether more such workshops would be held in the future.