Meet Maria Melo, a woman of courage and dedication from Riachão das Neves (BA), Brazil. She discovered she had Chagas disease during a blood donation screening, but that did not stop her from moving forward. As a Community Health Worker (CHW), Maria became a true care professional, supporting more than 300 families in her region through the CUIDA Chagas project.

With a life mission focused on people’s well-being and on defending the right to health for the population of Riachão das Neves, she shows that even in the face of adversity, it is possible to transform lives through love and dedication to others.