Showing posts with label community health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label community health. Show all posts
Monday, August 22, 2011
EXTREMES OF OFFICE POLITICS IN MULTICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS
Jacob Waiswa
Situation Health Analyst
Dishma-Inc.
P.O. Box 8885,
Kampala-Uganda
Tel. +256392614655/+256752542504
dishma.imhs@gmail.com
www.situationhealthanalysis.blogspot.com
Architects of organizations and institutions usually have a lot of urge and positive dreams to start-off ground-braking work, and become popular within their organizations. But, along the way, confusion crops in –at the time when prospects begin to show up.
At take-off stage, the founders and administrators sooner than later begin to focus on the small financial benefits that start to flow in, scramble for shares, struggle for more influence or power, and mud-splash one another to force some of the undesirable founders and executives out of office.
Radical measures are set; carrying all ingredients of the legal support system -by those who stay behind. They, of course, do it to protect; their "greedy" interests, their now ‘rights’ and ensure absolute powers to the new chief executive of the victor group at the end of chaos. Hardly do most organizations survive this metamorphic stage through their way to success.
They do stand half chances of either surviving or running out of business. The management is often led on the whims of suspicion and mistrust. Such are then transformed into stringent, yet inhuman rules.
The work environment is often characterized by disrespect of workers, shouting at them, threatening them with dismissal, active bullying, character assassination, reduced wages or no pay, and error-searching of workers.
As such, the organization structure and development processes are constantly interrupted by greedy founders, as same authors of the structure begin eating it away –as some animals do to their young ones. It would take really shrewd people to help support the organization beyond this point. Otherwise, the likelihood can always be that; it will collapse.
The once-upon-a-time dream of registering a social impact as any organization would morally be expected of remains more of a dream than a reality. And, because no impact has been observed or felt, they cook reports –including ghost activities or possible community benefits for the purposes of receiving more funding, amassing personal wealth, and preserving healthy relationship with very optimistic donors in as far as community development is concerned.
It would perhaps be different if donor representatives annually or abruptly made fact-finding missions to the organizations' areas of operation. If some of the work has to do with research, focus is put only at calling people out for questioning; taking up to two to four hours of community-members' most productive time of the day.
Firstly, community benefits are sometimes not highlighted by field officials and results not shared and agreements reached hardly reached to strike out various ways the community and the organization working in the area could join hands to deal with development deficits.
Not even will they leave behind copies of photographs taken; of the area or community members. Yet that, alone, could not only strengthen the new bond with the community, but also for remembrance purposes; in terms of a service rendered or of project organization attributes.
Besides, there would have been support-systems running, and directly helping community members with periodic follow-ups to ensure effective community management of the project as well as the long term benefit from it. Of course, that includes: financial, technical, information, political and legal or security for real sustainability of the then community-run projects.
However, soon after conducting interviews, some organizations have always thought it satisfactory to only obtain knowledge of community needs, extract all they would be interest in for publication, mindless of the several hours unaccountable for by the community, more over with no tangible community benefits left behind.
Soft skills for effective services delivery or field operations such as; team building for team leaders, team work, social skills, conflict resolutions, negotiation skills are often taken lightly but, later, turn out to be most regrettable act, as damages to organization reputation ensues. But through experiencing a lot of challenges like active community resistance, perhaps after evaluation, they would be shocked to find technical errors encountered.
Perhaps, it is important for community leaders to demand a clear outline of anticipated benefits -having learnt from previous bad lessons. It is such outlines they would long for from any emerging organization or firm. Then, further checks or filtering ought to be made along the course of working with them (organizations) to avoid tendencies to manipulate and plunder.
Yes, it is possible that where our leaders betray us, we take up the necessary tools and be ready to protect ourselves from hungry beasts -including them, like the kind of Judas Iscariots. And, when possibly fooled; noticeable, at the end of the organization's project time, they should be in position to boldly express their dissatisfaction, and vow never to cooperate with them in future; as simple as that.
In the bid of realizing organization's health development, founders or board of governors ought to allow breathing space -through setting clear guidelines; derived from its history (if it has any), values or cherished culture, and set clear role descriptions as well as have autonomy at roles-play by staff while it only focuses on results in a given period of time –through their independent and well supported monitoring and evaluation departmental tool.
In many cases, if the organization is sick or dysfunctional, such symptoms would be seen on the faces of staff too. And, worse, if their grievances are neither heard nor listened to. Both ways, it would negatively affect work and organization's general outcome.
For a healthy organization, the structure and development process provide for smooth and swift information-flow and feedback, synchronically –which eventually provides for; conducive working environments, a feeling of ownership of the organization, high morale and high performance, among other positives.
In developing ideas for comprehensive community-development package, partnership development, itself, would be inevitable towards enabling the filling of growth and development loopholes.
Probably, not until the organization develops a second independent functioning arm of its own to handle new development ventures and associated challenges independently, it will always need business partners.
However, between partnering organizations there must be courtesy or of some kind. For example, it is unwise to convene a meeting at the company premises, having invited corporate representatives of other firms from places that are miles away and fail to provide lunch, transport fares and accommodation –especially when their input greatly serves to compliment or make efficient of the work done by the hosting company or organization.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
It’s Time to Implement the Anti FGM Law. A Call against Cultural Violence
By
Sylvia Samanya
Just like any other African country, Uganda has numerous tribes, cultures and cultural leaders. Some cultures have signified strong co-existence with the government policies and laws though a few are proving the human rights body, the civil society, legislatures, Religious leaders and women activists toothless barking dogs. Cultural practices in certain tribes like the Female Genital Mutilation among the Sabinys must be condemned.
The Saturday Vision, 6th November, 2010, reported that 200 girls have been lined up in the districts of Bukwo and Kapchorwa for circumcision come, December 2010. For God’s sake, this is an inhuman and myopic act since the practice targets cutting particular parts of the female organs. According to that report, some victims over bleed, die; get birth complications besides getting exposed to dangerous illnesses.
This practice also destroys the self esteem of girls. Arguably FGM is not undertaken with the intention of inflicting harm but, it’s damaging physical, sexual, and psychological effects make it an act of violence against women and the girl child. In the 21st first century, no Ugandan or African should be losing life to culture.
Despite the recent publications in the press exposing the awaiting evil to be administered to innocent girls, no one has risen up to intercept it. NGO’s are busy writing reports about the bad education system, democracy, while other politicians are bickering to disband the electoral commission, but this is also a real issue to be confronted –as it subjects the citizens into absolute misery.
For how long shall we witness this kind of carnage while we bury our heads in the sand? Issues of culture are indeed very complex and sensitive. But I am also sure that before this law was passed there was massive consultation, education and sensitization about it especially in the areas where the practice is commonly carried out.
The Sabiny community especially the cut women that have continuously scolded and thrown scorn to the girls who are not cut do it because of ignorance. These are actions and statements of intimidation, insult and dehumanization to make their colleagues feel less human and not worth in society thus being called outcasts. This is, possibly, why the reason other girls present themselves for the ritual? This should stop as it is abuse of human rights!
The act involves the removal or cutting of the external female genitalia using the razorblades as the instruments of the ritual without medical necessity and usually performed on adolescents girls. In name of culture, this ritual often lives these girls with harmful physical and psychological torture; this act violates the rights to non-discrimination, health, and bodily integrity.
It was clearly stated that the Sbiny are unfazed by the Law against FGM. The elders in Bukwo and Kapchorwa districts confidently say how they swear that the whole tribe would rather move to prison than abolish a custom they inherited from their ancestors. Now these are strong sentiment statements but then who is who and who is above the law? Does this community know the interpretation of the law in the country? This is purely the absence of Government when it legislates and fails to enforce.
Dear members of parliament, what use is it for you to work tirelessly and pass laws that are never embraced and accepted by the natives. Is it going to be a habit to pass laws for the sake of, or those that the local community can never adhere to? It hurts because if this is what the Sabiny community is saying about the law (defiant), why then was it passed prematurely? Where the members of parliament from Bukwo and Kapchorwa not present in parliament while this went on? One of the elders responded “a law can not stop the cultural rite of the Sabiny people unless the community agrees to it”. Was this law not drafted and passed in consultation with the Sabiny community? All these are questions that are in people’s mind.
Worse still is the politics at play as expressed by the Vice – chairman of Bukwo district? He has clearly put it our faces “Myself I will not talk about it because I know it will land me into the political dustbin”, says Chelangat. It is also said that the same happened to former MP- Dr. Steven Chebroti who lost his parliamentary sit in 2000 when he brought the issue in his Tingey constituency. For how long are we going to play cheap politics? People should be educated to know the harm this practice infringes on the health of these girls. These effects can even be years after.
This is equally a very sensitive political period and every politician is on the look out for votes. If the politicians are not willing to talk about it, where are the legislators who proposed and drafted the anti- FGM law, Mama Miria Matembe, Justice Faith Mwondha, Mama Janet Museveni, Prof. (Barrister) Sylvia Tamale, former V.P. Spacioza Kazibwe, Hon. Rebecca Kadaga and many others, the civil society, the women NGOs, the women activities, and the church leaders, the human rights activist? Let’s come out and condemn this act. The ant- Female Genital Mutilation law is in place and the charges are very clear. These girls like any other women have a right. The United Nations should put the government to task so as to ensure strict implementation and enforcement of this law.
We can not quietly sit back and watch accepting it as any other normal and healthy cultural practice.
Culture is naturally known as a superior apparatus for propagating good morals in society. It was reported that after the ritual, many girls drop out of school to get married. Where is the ministry of education? Parents and guardians this has to stop! This practice threatens the lives of girls and women and violates their human right to life, liberty, and security of the person.
As the clock ticks, to December while the Kupsabiny communities sharpen their mutilation instruments, lets all join up and condemn this cultural practice. Government should be put to task. Laws should be effective to the natives and not to just impress the nation and the international community while they can not be implemented. No one is above the law. If this is law then it should be enforced.
The writer is a Humanitarian Worker
Department of Refugees,
Office of the Prime Minister.
Sylvia Samanya
Just like any other African country, Uganda has numerous tribes, cultures and cultural leaders. Some cultures have signified strong co-existence with the government policies and laws though a few are proving the human rights body, the civil society, legislatures, Religious leaders and women activists toothless barking dogs. Cultural practices in certain tribes like the Female Genital Mutilation among the Sabinys must be condemned.
The Saturday Vision, 6th November, 2010, reported that 200 girls have been lined up in the districts of Bukwo and Kapchorwa for circumcision come, December 2010. For God’s sake, this is an inhuman and myopic act since the practice targets cutting particular parts of the female organs. According to that report, some victims over bleed, die; get birth complications besides getting exposed to dangerous illnesses.
This practice also destroys the self esteem of girls. Arguably FGM is not undertaken with the intention of inflicting harm but, it’s damaging physical, sexual, and psychological effects make it an act of violence against women and the girl child. In the 21st first century, no Ugandan or African should be losing life to culture.
Despite the recent publications in the press exposing the awaiting evil to be administered to innocent girls, no one has risen up to intercept it. NGO’s are busy writing reports about the bad education system, democracy, while other politicians are bickering to disband the electoral commission, but this is also a real issue to be confronted –as it subjects the citizens into absolute misery.
For how long shall we witness this kind of carnage while we bury our heads in the sand? Issues of culture are indeed very complex and sensitive. But I am also sure that before this law was passed there was massive consultation, education and sensitization about it especially in the areas where the practice is commonly carried out.
The Sabiny community especially the cut women that have continuously scolded and thrown scorn to the girls who are not cut do it because of ignorance. These are actions and statements of intimidation, insult and dehumanization to make their colleagues feel less human and not worth in society thus being called outcasts. This is, possibly, why the reason other girls present themselves for the ritual? This should stop as it is abuse of human rights!
The act involves the removal or cutting of the external female genitalia using the razorblades as the instruments of the ritual without medical necessity and usually performed on adolescents girls. In name of culture, this ritual often lives these girls with harmful physical and psychological torture; this act violates the rights to non-discrimination, health, and bodily integrity.
It was clearly stated that the Sbiny are unfazed by the Law against FGM. The elders in Bukwo and Kapchorwa districts confidently say how they swear that the whole tribe would rather move to prison than abolish a custom they inherited from their ancestors. Now these are strong sentiment statements but then who is who and who is above the law? Does this community know the interpretation of the law in the country? This is purely the absence of Government when it legislates and fails to enforce.
Dear members of parliament, what use is it for you to work tirelessly and pass laws that are never embraced and accepted by the natives. Is it going to be a habit to pass laws for the sake of, or those that the local community can never adhere to? It hurts because if this is what the Sabiny community is saying about the law (defiant), why then was it passed prematurely? Where the members of parliament from Bukwo and Kapchorwa not present in parliament while this went on? One of the elders responded “a law can not stop the cultural rite of the Sabiny people unless the community agrees to it”. Was this law not drafted and passed in consultation with the Sabiny community? All these are questions that are in people’s mind.
Worse still is the politics at play as expressed by the Vice – chairman of Bukwo district? He has clearly put it our faces “Myself I will not talk about it because I know it will land me into the political dustbin”, says Chelangat. It is also said that the same happened to former MP- Dr. Steven Chebroti who lost his parliamentary sit in 2000 when he brought the issue in his Tingey constituency. For how long are we going to play cheap politics? People should be educated to know the harm this practice infringes on the health of these girls. These effects can even be years after.
This is equally a very sensitive political period and every politician is on the look out for votes. If the politicians are not willing to talk about it, where are the legislators who proposed and drafted the anti- FGM law, Mama Miria Matembe, Justice Faith Mwondha, Mama Janet Museveni, Prof. (Barrister) Sylvia Tamale, former V.P. Spacioza Kazibwe, Hon. Rebecca Kadaga and many others, the civil society, the women NGOs, the women activities, and the church leaders, the human rights activist? Let’s come out and condemn this act. The ant- Female Genital Mutilation law is in place and the charges are very clear. These girls like any other women have a right. The United Nations should put the government to task so as to ensure strict implementation and enforcement of this law.
We can not quietly sit back and watch accepting it as any other normal and healthy cultural practice.
Culture is naturally known as a superior apparatus for propagating good morals in society. It was reported that after the ritual, many girls drop out of school to get married. Where is the ministry of education? Parents and guardians this has to stop! This practice threatens the lives of girls and women and violates their human right to life, liberty, and security of the person.
As the clock ticks, to December while the Kupsabiny communities sharpen their mutilation instruments, lets all join up and condemn this cultural practice. Government should be put to task. Laws should be effective to the natives and not to just impress the nation and the international community while they can not be implemented. No one is above the law. If this is law then it should be enforced.
The writer is a Humanitarian Worker
Department of Refugees,
Office of the Prime Minister.
Friday, October 16, 2009
EFFECTIVELY MANAGING HEALTH PROJECTS: A BASIS OF INDIVIDUAL AND ORGANISATION DEVELOPMENT
It is difficult to address needs without the management tool. Actually it comes to nothing. There must be people who plan, make parameters for complete needs satisfaction and ensure sustainability and certainty or security of the future.
Security does not mean curfews, but presence of tangible solutions for major human problems or needs. It calls for greatest amount of time meditating about current needs or problems, visualizing about their toll on the community or personal life, gaining to the greatest motivation to change the situation for the better and critically looking into various ways and steps to address them.
In pursued of all that, it is vital that information regarding the above is clearly recorded and made safe for future references. In fact, successful management will always derive new branches to foster cost efficient in the production of goods and services,
Firstly, it is important to put into consideration availability of resources required to solve the current community health problems. The community health problems are often numerous, so it is important that of the listed volume of health problems, the management team undertakes consultations and determines the hierarchy of needs to address -starting from the most pressing to the least -in line with available resources.
That is; the technical team or personnel, work support tools, financial resources, records and information systems, accountability systems, strict monitoring and evaluations system and above all the necessary competencies to perform effectively and efficiently at all levels of work chain in pursuit of the project's goal.
While designing health programs, prioritized needs turn out to be a basis of business that would soon run. They provide the purpose form the project existence, which has to be communicated time and again to project team members for effective strategies formulation, to stake-holders for support and to beneficiaries -to reduce change-resistance tendencies.
With knowledge of projected outcomes, different line managers can then receive time-lines set to begin the project implementation exercise. Whilst at that stage, executives ensures high motivation of every staff to begin the exercise -with everyone's hopes and vigor high. Regular meetings play a wonderful role in finding solutions to the ever emerging day's field challenges.
As the feeling could be; the project team could go with a lot of question marks especially if such members are running the project for the first time in their career. Indeed, it could affect negatively a little bit of one's confidence in the face those he or she serving. No wonder, most organizations either look out for experience -as what should constitute a project management team or do intensive training to capture theory and practice of working around a specific subject area in line with targets.
However, experience still remained supreme for one to be comfortable on the program task, than take longest time before setting himself or herself ablaze for the desired results within the allotted time. Time could even run out before registering an inch of achievements. It is at this time that project effort verses out-put reviews. The outcome of the reviews will then tell us whether to continue pursuing the same project idea, modify it or restructure everything -depending saturation levels -when situation analyses indicate total exhaustion of the resources and, thus, leading to no or least output.
As such, there would be no reason why one would stay in production. Instead, there will be a call for new inventions or innovations -carrying potent ideas for project justification to be true to founders and supporters of the project.
As a direct remedy to this some organizations prefer deploying individuals, who have for a considerable period of time, done an understudy and actual work under senior project managers -to sail through project development storms.
However, job training is not always something health organizations could appeal somebody to do. It is usually an initiative of a person -who knows what he or she want ahead. Unfortunately or fortunately, most young people are so ambitious that they would find volunteering or job training a waste of time.
Actually having realized the high stakes it carries, organizations are making it a privilege to volunteer with them such that not anyone can find that opportunity. If it did exist, it should either have a few competitive places, individually funded program by the volunteer himself or herself or demand a different volunteering experience that would add value to the new one.
They are now aware of the popular struggle by career developers and their clients to find skills in respect to jobs aspired for. Indeed, very many people flock into different regions across international boundaries and the oceans -with lots of resources -mainly monetary -merely to fund volunteering and achieve considerate amount of field-work experience.
Otherwise, our friends around the globe would not be wasting time and money to come here (in Africa) every summer. Of course, there are those lucky ones, who might have used several underground schemes to ride straight to their dream jobs. These too are privileged members of our society, but how many are they?
As indicated earlier objectives tailored to social or community needs would help guide health planners about what specific interventions and strategies to employ. For example, some of the objectives are might be: to create awareness, prevent transmission or arrest the problem.
To help with the smooth project implementation, sometimes it could be difficult to go it alone. So intelligent managers identify big name partners, who could come on board. Memorandums of understanding does give the descriptions of each party's responsibilities and of how each would benefit from specific roles they would play.
It is possible that field workers can at times go over board or stray from what has been targeted as action areas and geographical areas to cover. Therefore, is important if program manager and this or her team of assistants organize workshops just to study each field-worker's intervention design -while ensuring that they role-play and visualize life under the intervention program.
And true that for some reasons, the community could have sections resisting the intervention and lazy to participate in emerging programs. Actually, it would be good luck for a project to register just a handful ready to support and participate to benefit from the project. It can be annoying to discover a section of community members fighting the same project set out to fully empower them.
However, the task of the team remains; to bring all community members on board -through strategies they (both field workers and community) would formulate time and again. In fact, primary stages would require not just regular meetings (weekly or monthly), but ongoing crisis meetings (called for anytime of the day along side the vigorous intervention work.
The strategies could range from what are persuasive (tokens of food, games and other recreations -to active pressure -involving legislation and enforcement agents. Yes, some community members can oppose services that give the same lifeline they greatly need. And yes, sometimes you have to “shake branches hardest to have the edible and very sweet fruits fall off.”
As more and more people come on board, they would want to take the center stage of action for change or be at the front-line. Most of them could be very intelligent at best practices formulation. Such people could be a resource throughout the program and become contact persons at the end. Through such contacts career development opportunities could be identified in various geographical locations and shared.
Like in a malaria intervention carried out by the Uganda Village Village in June 2009 gathered evidence of some community members, who viewed treated mosquito-nets inadequate enough to arrest the spread of malaria. Somebody would for example ask, “will a treated net protect me from mosquitoes outside the house whilst in my shamba or can really flowing clothes and long sleeves help in the face of such hungry mosquitoes that penetrate any cloth?” Such questions ought to be answered in order to build confidence and continued participation in the program.
Within two to three months, the projects could be set in fast motion with increased participation and demand for health products. It would be at this moment the management will be tasked to either increase the number of partners or fundraise more for the project to meet the growing demand for its services and/or increased project participation.
Towards the program end there could be tears about departure from the bond already created between field-workers and the then transformed community. But in the overall program design, it might have been stipulated that areas worst in health-care should have focussed attention over a considerable period of years -like three to six years.
Therefore, having helped raise the current community to a stage they can live dignifying and healthy lives, it becomes necessary for the organization shift its platoon to other areas in most need.
Part of what could be evaluated at the end of the program are availability of support organizations that could be linked to the current area needs -for sustainability of the benefits from the out-going project, review acceptance of the health products availed to them, their (health products) availability at any time of need, the ease of access and affordability by the majority of the community members -considering that saving are determined by farming seasons -when crop yields are high. All these could be reached with help of end-line meetings and productive discussions with community members.
Comprehensive community responses must be taken seriously as part of future improved project designs if such plans are to succeed, while legislation that support health interventions and of every stage should be advocated for and enacted -to ease, make swift and smoothen their running to success.
Doing so would also help safeguard against anti-development sentiments and groups -with substantial reasons for their motive. The same legislation would ensure the right ethics in place to guide in the relationship between the community and service organizations. In such a relationship, mutual responsibilities would be agreed and signed to -to ensure clear community benefits at the end of the day. Cultural and other forms of resistance have to be negotiated for with patience -though.
In the true spirit of sustainability, community peer leaders could be armed with basic management, business communication and other development skills designed to make achievements long-lasting or even improved, the more.
In meetings the linguistic challenges of working in rural areas like some scientific words -as not existing in the local languages, should be solved by sending out a separate team of health or medical linguists persons to derive appropriate local reference for some medical or health terms.
Jacob Waiswa
Situation Health Analyst
www.situationhealthanalysis.blogspot.com
Security does not mean curfews, but presence of tangible solutions for major human problems or needs. It calls for greatest amount of time meditating about current needs or problems, visualizing about their toll on the community or personal life, gaining to the greatest motivation to change the situation for the better and critically looking into various ways and steps to address them.
In pursued of all that, it is vital that information regarding the above is clearly recorded and made safe for future references. In fact, successful management will always derive new branches to foster cost efficient in the production of goods and services,
Firstly, it is important to put into consideration availability of resources required to solve the current community health problems. The community health problems are often numerous, so it is important that of the listed volume of health problems, the management team undertakes consultations and determines the hierarchy of needs to address -starting from the most pressing to the least -in line with available resources.
That is; the technical team or personnel, work support tools, financial resources, records and information systems, accountability systems, strict monitoring and evaluations system and above all the necessary competencies to perform effectively and efficiently at all levels of work chain in pursuit of the project's goal.
While designing health programs, prioritized needs turn out to be a basis of business that would soon run. They provide the purpose form the project existence, which has to be communicated time and again to project team members for effective strategies formulation, to stake-holders for support and to beneficiaries -to reduce change-resistance tendencies.
With knowledge of projected outcomes, different line managers can then receive time-lines set to begin the project implementation exercise. Whilst at that stage, executives ensures high motivation of every staff to begin the exercise -with everyone's hopes and vigor high. Regular meetings play a wonderful role in finding solutions to the ever emerging day's field challenges.
As the feeling could be; the project team could go with a lot of question marks especially if such members are running the project for the first time in their career. Indeed, it could affect negatively a little bit of one's confidence in the face those he or she serving. No wonder, most organizations either look out for experience -as what should constitute a project management team or do intensive training to capture theory and practice of working around a specific subject area in line with targets.
However, experience still remained supreme for one to be comfortable on the program task, than take longest time before setting himself or herself ablaze for the desired results within the allotted time. Time could even run out before registering an inch of achievements. It is at this time that project effort verses out-put reviews. The outcome of the reviews will then tell us whether to continue pursuing the same project idea, modify it or restructure everything -depending saturation levels -when situation analyses indicate total exhaustion of the resources and, thus, leading to no or least output.
As such, there would be no reason why one would stay in production. Instead, there will be a call for new inventions or innovations -carrying potent ideas for project justification to be true to founders and supporters of the project.
As a direct remedy to this some organizations prefer deploying individuals, who have for a considerable period of time, done an understudy and actual work under senior project managers -to sail through project development storms.
However, job training is not always something health organizations could appeal somebody to do. It is usually an initiative of a person -who knows what he or she want ahead. Unfortunately or fortunately, most young people are so ambitious that they would find volunteering or job training a waste of time.
Actually having realized the high stakes it carries, organizations are making it a privilege to volunteer with them such that not anyone can find that opportunity. If it did exist, it should either have a few competitive places, individually funded program by the volunteer himself or herself or demand a different volunteering experience that would add value to the new one.
They are now aware of the popular struggle by career developers and their clients to find skills in respect to jobs aspired for. Indeed, very many people flock into different regions across international boundaries and the oceans -with lots of resources -mainly monetary -merely to fund volunteering and achieve considerate amount of field-work experience.
Otherwise, our friends around the globe would not be wasting time and money to come here (in Africa) every summer. Of course, there are those lucky ones, who might have used several underground schemes to ride straight to their dream jobs. These too are privileged members of our society, but how many are they?
As indicated earlier objectives tailored to social or community needs would help guide health planners about what specific interventions and strategies to employ. For example, some of the objectives are might be: to create awareness, prevent transmission or arrest the problem.
To help with the smooth project implementation, sometimes it could be difficult to go it alone. So intelligent managers identify big name partners, who could come on board. Memorandums of understanding does give the descriptions of each party's responsibilities and of how each would benefit from specific roles they would play.
It is possible that field workers can at times go over board or stray from what has been targeted as action areas and geographical areas to cover. Therefore, is important if program manager and this or her team of assistants organize workshops just to study each field-worker's intervention design -while ensuring that they role-play and visualize life under the intervention program.
And true that for some reasons, the community could have sections resisting the intervention and lazy to participate in emerging programs. Actually, it would be good luck for a project to register just a handful ready to support and participate to benefit from the project. It can be annoying to discover a section of community members fighting the same project set out to fully empower them.
However, the task of the team remains; to bring all community members on board -through strategies they (both field workers and community) would formulate time and again. In fact, primary stages would require not just regular meetings (weekly or monthly), but ongoing crisis meetings (called for anytime of the day along side the vigorous intervention work.
The strategies could range from what are persuasive (tokens of food, games and other recreations -to active pressure -involving legislation and enforcement agents. Yes, some community members can oppose services that give the same lifeline they greatly need. And yes, sometimes you have to “shake branches hardest to have the edible and very sweet fruits fall off.”
As more and more people come on board, they would want to take the center stage of action for change or be at the front-line. Most of them could be very intelligent at best practices formulation. Such people could be a resource throughout the program and become contact persons at the end. Through such contacts career development opportunities could be identified in various geographical locations and shared.
Like in a malaria intervention carried out by the Uganda Village Village in June 2009 gathered evidence of some community members, who viewed treated mosquito-nets inadequate enough to arrest the spread of malaria. Somebody would for example ask, “will a treated net protect me from mosquitoes outside the house whilst in my shamba or can really flowing clothes and long sleeves help in the face of such hungry mosquitoes that penetrate any cloth?” Such questions ought to be answered in order to build confidence and continued participation in the program.
Within two to three months, the projects could be set in fast motion with increased participation and demand for health products. It would be at this moment the management will be tasked to either increase the number of partners or fundraise more for the project to meet the growing demand for its services and/or increased project participation.
Towards the program end there could be tears about departure from the bond already created between field-workers and the then transformed community. But in the overall program design, it might have been stipulated that areas worst in health-care should have focussed attention over a considerable period of years -like three to six years.
Therefore, having helped raise the current community to a stage they can live dignifying and healthy lives, it becomes necessary for the organization shift its platoon to other areas in most need.
Part of what could be evaluated at the end of the program are availability of support organizations that could be linked to the current area needs -for sustainability of the benefits from the out-going project, review acceptance of the health products availed to them, their (health products) availability at any time of need, the ease of access and affordability by the majority of the community members -considering that saving are determined by farming seasons -when crop yields are high. All these could be reached with help of end-line meetings and productive discussions with community members.
Comprehensive community responses must be taken seriously as part of future improved project designs if such plans are to succeed, while legislation that support health interventions and of every stage should be advocated for and enacted -to ease, make swift and smoothen their running to success.
Doing so would also help safeguard against anti-development sentiments and groups -with substantial reasons for their motive. The same legislation would ensure the right ethics in place to guide in the relationship between the community and service organizations. In such a relationship, mutual responsibilities would be agreed and signed to -to ensure clear community benefits at the end of the day. Cultural and other forms of resistance have to be negotiated for with patience -though.
In the true spirit of sustainability, community peer leaders could be armed with basic management, business communication and other development skills designed to make achievements long-lasting or even improved, the more.
In meetings the linguistic challenges of working in rural areas like some scientific words -as not existing in the local languages, should be solved by sending out a separate team of health or medical linguists persons to derive appropriate local reference for some medical or health terms.
Jacob Waiswa
Situation Health Analyst
www.situationhealthanalysis.blogspot.com
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