World Connect

Community Health Training

Year: 2017

Country: Rwanda

Project Status: Funded

Impact Sector: Health

Project Investment: $385.60

Project Launch: 7-20-17

In rural areas of Rwanda, community health workers are often the first individuals villagers encounter in the medical system. Relying on these often volunteer health workers, villagers receive orientation about malaria, STDs, including HIV/AIDS, pregnancy and childbirth, disease of childhood, hygiene, and other subjects. This project seeks to train community health workers in subjects essential for service delivery so they can more effectively respond to the needs of patients in the area.

Project Update: 10-30-17

Community health workers (CHWs) have completed the initial lessons with training on behavior change communication and how it applies to the work CHWs do in encouraging the community to seek proper medical services through their team, through the Health Center, or at the new Health Post! The training also included activities based on the following topics: malaria, nutrition, childhood illness, food security (permagardening) and mother/infant health. All Community Health Workers showed increased knowledge after the training, particularly in the area of food security.

Final Report: 6-13-18

Over 400 community health workers at the Nyamiyaga Health Center were trained on how to treat malaria during pregnancy and care for HIV/AIDS patients in regards to stigma and transmission prevention. Additionally, the workers were trained on childhood illness, menstrual hygiene, growth monitoring, nutrition, family planning, immunizations, and antenatal services. In groups of three's, these health workers taught at least one lesson using strategies learned during the training to community members to promote health and encourage hygenic practices. This project also jumpstarted the beautification of the pre-existing health posts and ensured that access to medicine and knowledgeable medical providers is available to all.