Health Insurance for Families

In 2025, Friends-Together funded health insurance for 185 low-income families for the very first time—a critical step after the loss of USAID support. While families have long relied on our
Friends-Together–sponsored medical clinic, it operates part-time and cannot provide the full
range of care needed for serious or urgent health concerns. Without additional coverage, families would face dangerous delays in treatment and a far greater risk of becoming seriously ill.

Health insurance is still a relatively new concept in Tanzania, as it is in many parts of the
developing world. Most families simply cannot afford it. Daily income must go toward food,
water, and shelter, leaving medical coverage out of reach. As a result, parents, children, and
elders often go without the timely care they need.
 

For just $15 per year, each policy covers an entire family of five through Tanzania’s Improved
Community Health Fund (iCHF), providing access to local hospitals, doctors, and essential
medical services. After receiving a prescription at the hospital, families can bring it to our
Friends-Together–sponsored clinic, where medicines are filled at no cost.
 

This small investment makes life-changing access to healthcare possible.
Health insurance allows families to seek timely treatment, reduces out-of-pocket expenses, and prevents treatable illnesses from becoming emergencies. It also eases the strain on our
community clinic by directing urgent cases to facilities equipped to provide full medical care.
 

Together, we are helping families stay healthy, safe, and supported—today and for the future.