Meet Sattie Nyachwaya of Center For Health Empowerment in South Dallas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sattie Nyachwaya.

Sattie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started my journey three years ago as an Administrative Assistant for a Specialty, mail order Pharmacy. I had just lost my job of 6 years as a Unit Manager for a Collection Call center and I accidentally found the ad on Facebook Dallas Job group post. Haha, I thought that it was a pharmaceutical company, but I guess I didn’t read the whole job description. My boss was an established Community Liaison focused on HIV/Infectious Disease and also managed their 340B department. I had no idea what I was doing, and I knew nothing about Healthcare. I spent literally the first 90 days in a small office with him everyday. While being in there, He taught me about HIV, marketing/sales, 340B drug discount program and also HIV prevention medication. Once I found out what HIV prevention was, it took me back to my own personal story.

An opportunity presented itself for me to complete Patient assistance enrollments for uninsured clients of certain clinics, I learned from my boss quickly and ended up managing the processes for the department on my own. It was the stories that got my attention and touched me. I realized at that point that I didn’t want to be assistant forever, I wanted to do even more and be a support for others. My boss started to let me go with him to various HIV community events and I fell in love with the community world. About two years later. My boss decided hired someone else as my replacement and additional support so that I could manage the Patient Assistance Enrollments. That person and I ended up wanting the same thing so we partnered up and started doing way more outside of our job description to get his attention. It didn’t take long for my boss to decide to move the needle and promote me up.

In January 2019, He offered me to be a Patient Care Coordinator for Dallas. During that time, I learned about what building relationships actually meant, LGBTQ awareness and care, HIV and HIV prevention and also leadership. I found my passion in March of 2019, during a company trip, for a HIV prevention conference in Atlanta. I was trying to understand my purpose and what I was supposed to be doing in my new role. My best friend surprised me tickets to a Black Women networking event for inspiration, and when I got there I realized that all the women in room were so strong and passionate, they were brave and confident, all of the things that I wanted to be. I was Speechless! I walked away knowing that Women’s sexual health was what I was supposed to be doing for the rest of my life. Last year, may 2019 I was working with an Austin clinic on improving their processes for patient assistance programs, the Director of operations and I hit it off very strong and the whole staff liked me. I had no idea that I would be later working for them as their Community Liaison. July 2019, I transitioned from the pharmacy to the Clinic as their Community Liaison for Dallas and since then I have been learning and pushing towards building my story to where it is now a Community advocate.

Has it been a smooth road?
Oh no, it has not been a smooth road at all. Its been a lot like Texas weather haha. I experienced a lot of internal struggles along the way. Learning to come into myself and what my purpose was a huge struggle. I’ve went back and forth on what my purpose is in the last year. I grew up never feeling like I had a voice. I wanted so many things growing up as a kid and It was always easier not to speak because when you speak, the answer was usually no and It was always easier to hide behind other people. I also dealt with a lot of doubt. I thought that my story wasn’t good enough for the world to hear and even then, who would want to listen. Even now, today I still get scared that I’m not making a difference.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Center For Health Empowerment – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I work for Center for Health Empowerment as a Community Liaison. I specialize in community engagement and partnerships. I focus myself on educating those the Dallas and surrounding areas about HIV, STD’s/STI’s and prevention methods. We provide options and ways for them to understand how important sexual health is, and how easy it is to have access to better your health. I believe we are most proud of not judging others for their lifestyles, but educating and providing tools to keep them safe. The difference is, education and awareness, You cant be safe, if you don’t know or understand.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love how Dallas always has something to do. I recently moved closer into Dallas from the surrounding cities, and there is always something to do and somewhere to go. You can’t get that everywhere. I wish that we didn’t have 5pm traffic! Sighs! It is a full-time job getting home if you live close to the center of Dallas.

Contact Info:

• Address: 2429 Martin Luther King Blvd
  SUITE 3
• Phone: 9724327783
• Email: s.nyachwaya@austinche.org
• Instagram: checlinicdtx
• Facebook: center for health empowerment
• Twitter: checlinic

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