Basic health care is everyone’s right and very essential to well-being – yet in developing countries, it is but a privilege. While targeted health policies and programs have enabled slight improvements in public health access and care, significant disparities remain. Countries like Zambia with limited access to education and employment, increasing poverty levels and illiteracy rates among other problems, find considerable health improvements a harder goal to attain.

Certainly, there are decisive ties between health and development. Without good health, a nation is robed of productivity. Students cannot attend classes, workers cannot report to work, policies cannot be made, programs cannot be implemented, and governments cannot be run… In fact, the solution to some of the problems faced by most developing countries strongly lies in curbing the health care problem.

To help give its students and staff the right to basic health care, Northrise University recently broke ground for a clinic to be called NUCare! Thor Development, a construction company in Zambia was awarded the contract and has since begun works. NUCare! will offer basic health care for Northrise University students, staff and the surrounding community. Having a health center on Campus means peace of mind… Peace of mind for the parents; being able to send their child to a university without over worrying when their child is sick. Peace of mind for students; being able to enjoy learning without the stress of how to access health care. Peace of mind for faculty and staff; being able to work with joy knowing that when they or their family member is unwell, care is available. Peace of mind for the community; it comforting to know that at last a clinic is within reach. Most importantly a peace of mind for Northrise University; knowing that it can offer basic health care, turning it from a privilege to a right because a healthy student is a healthy community; a healthy community is a healthy Zambia.

Thirteen Northrise University students and staff members stared at a white board and pressed open the small black notebooks just handed to them. Take notes, team. This is going to be a brilliant adventure.

That’s our hope. We are five media pros armed with Nikons, a newly designed blog, and a bit of passion. We are here to push open the window so the amazing faces drilling us with questions can give a shout out to a curious world. Our goal here is to get this group online. Jumpstart the sharing of their stories. Blogging weekly. “Blog” maybe a new concept for some of them, and a new beginning into a cyberworld that doesn’t know they exist. So, here we are. University board member Danny Ortega recruited this traveling group from Washington, California and Arizona. Justin Clark is our creative link, he leads our online mission. Chairman of the Board David Cheatham and Tony Elliott unload their Nikon knowledge to push the classroom beyond the basic point and shoot. Sabra Gertsch is the reporter onboard sharing storytelling techniques. Danny is the guy with the HD video camera framing up the shots and recording the voice of each student because their stories are about to be heard.

Four days in the classroom and we are the ones getting an education. Kanyanta, Duke, Agness, Maambo, Banji, Kambole, Isaac, Andrew, the Godfreys, Enock, Mwanga, Mukupa…you have amazing perspective and determination. It is our privilege to be visiting contributors to your creative development.

Graduation. Banana trees. Chickens. Mackenzie. Arthur Davison. Imagination. Creativity. Hope. Zambia. Northrise.

Audience, we hope you will stay tuned…