Mbeya, Tanzania

In Tanzania, many people live far from health facilities, often without access to basic treatment or rehabilitation. Children who suffer injuries, adults with neurological conditions, and older people who cannot reach a doctor because of poverty face their challenges alone every day. In an environment where most cannot afford physiotherapy, medication, or surgery, every visit from our team becomes an opportunity for new hope, for movement, for pain relief, and for a dignified life.

The team and the field

Our interdisciplinary team, made up of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, a doctor, and nurses, travels each year to the city of Mbeya in southwestern Tanzania. Between March and July, three teams go into the field to work directly with people in their homes, especially in low-income neighborhoods and surrounding villages where access to healthcare is extremely limited. They treat individuals facing a wide range of difficulties, from the consequences of untreated childhood illnesses and injuries to infectious diseases such as HIV.

Although Mbeya is one of Tanzania’s larger cities, the quality of healthcare in its surrounding areas remains very low. Many communities have no access to physiotherapy, diagnostic equipment, or basic medical aids, which means that people with mobility or neurological issues often never receive professional help. As a result, even simple injuries can lead to permanent impairments, and children with developmental challenges grow up without the chance to improve their movement or independence.

How we work

Our goal is to identify rehabilitation potential within their living environment and to help people maintain their health and independence through the combined work of the entire team. With manual therapy, neurophysiotherapy approaches, and structured rehabilitation plans, we improve their condition during our stay and teach family members how to continue exercises and support after we leave.

We also cooperate with the local hospital in Mbeya, where patients undergo additional diagnostic tests if recommended by the local doctor. This helps us better understand their condition and allows each professional in the team to contribute according to the findings.

Who pays for treatment

Because physiotherapy and other health services in Tanzania are not free, most residents cannot afford them. The average monthly income in rural areas around Mbeya is less than fifty euros, while a physiotherapy session costs around ten euros per visit, meaning that one week of therapy would consume more than half of a family’s monthly income. This is why we cover the costs of outpatient physiotherapy, urgent surgeries, and necessary medical aids for home use (crutches, wheelchairs, blood glucose meters, and more) for those who cannot afford them.

2024

In 2024, three teams traveled there for the first time. Together, they carried out more than five hundred home visits, reached more than three hundred individuals, and completed over two thousand hours of humanitarian work.

In collaboration with the host organization Save Kids for Future, we also conduct educational workshops in primary schools, where we teach girls about menstrual hygiene, a topic that is still largely taboo and often causes many of them to miss classes or drop out of school.

A study in the field

In 2024, physiotherapist Lana Ritlop conducted an extensive on-field study of patient satisfaction with physiotherapy as part of our program. Designed as a pilot study, it was the first comprehensive evaluation of the effects of mobile physiotherapy in Mbeya using the Kerala model, examining team structure, treatment processes, communication with patients, and functional improvements. The findings showed high satisfaction, improved mobility, and better quality of life, highlighting the importance of a holistic, community-based approach. The study, part of her master’s thesis, is publicly available online and represents an important academic contribution to humanitarian physiotherapy, as well as motivation for further research in this field.