AMREF’s ground breaking and award winning electronic learning (eLearning) project has launched in Uganda. The project which is designed to rapidly and cost effectively upgrade the skills of nurses and health workers across Uganda, was launched following a stakeholders meeting in Kampala.

“I am very pleased and indeed delighted to witness the beginning of the eLearning project in Uganda,” said the Minister of Health Honourable Stephen Malinga who presided over the launch. “As you are all aware, one of the biggest challenges in the health sector, not just in Uganda, but all over the world is the critical shortage of health workers. The focus of this project will be the nurse because they are the first point of contact for the communities seeking health services. They are the backbone of the health system and are placed to be the bridge that will close the gap that exists between communities and the peripheral end of the health system.”

For every 2000 people in Uganda, there is only 1 nurse and 1 doctor to almost every 200,000 patients, which is far below what is recommended by World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure optimal care. For nurses, WHO recommends that there be 1 nurse for every 10 patients.

“Our nurse training institutions have been unable to train enough nurses to keep up with the country’s population growth rate and the increasing disease burden,” Said the honourable minister. “The Ministry of Health therefore greatly appreciates the introduction of this innovative eLearning approach to increase access for our nurses to quality, standardised training. ELearning has already been successfully used by our partner AMREF to rapidly and cost effectively up-scale nurses in Kenya (http://www.amref.org/info-centre/amref-courses--training-programmes/elearning-programme-/?keywords=nurses). By fast tracking the training of registered nurses, this eLearning project will greatly enhance the capacity of Uganda’s health system to provide care for the people of this country.” He reiterated.

The launch also saw the formation of a representative steering committee put together to guide the development and implementation of the project.

AMREF’s Country Director, Joshua Kyallo, expressed that the success of AMREF’s work is largely based on strategic partnerships. He requested the stakeholders to utilise their knowledge and expertise to ensure the feasibility and success of the implementation of the eLearning project in Uganda. “AMREF’s approach is to develop models that can be replicated across Africa. In this same spirit, the eLearning model, has been tried and tested in Kenya, and is now being replicated in Uganda. AMREF hopes to continue the replication throughout East Africa and beyond,” he added.

The launch, which took place at the Imperial Royale hotel in Kampala, drew participants and representatives from the ministry of health, ministry of education and sports, health training institutions, health facilities and other development partners. Other participants included representatives from the ministry of local government, professional health councils, the medical bureaus, the Uganda nurses and midwives union and council among others.

“The future lies in our innovative use of technology to improve the way our communities work, live, learn, communicate and, now, take charge of their own health,” said the minister. “The Ministry appreciates AMREF’s role in introducing this project and the Fresenius Foundation’s financial support through AMREF in Germany. Indeed it is only through working together in partnership and collaboration with other stakeholders like these that we will be able to get this country on the road to good health.”

Madam Ida Odinga calls on the media to highlight maternal health issues in Kenya ahead of International Women’s Day

Every day in Kenya, 21 women die during childbirth or pregnancy. It is a tragedy of enormous proportions, yet it receives very little public attention.

Madam Ida Odinga, patron of the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood in Kenya (WRA-K), is challenging the media to highlight issues affecting the health of mothers in order for them to be addressed.

“Every single hour that we delay in taking action, a mother somewhere in Kenya is dying from complications related to pregnancy and child-birth. Yet maternal deaths can be prevented. You have a duty to actively bring the gravity of the matter to the awareness of the public and policy makers in order for it to be addressed,” she said.

Madam Odinga was speaking at a breakfast meeting at the Nairobi Sarova Stanley today, organised to bring to the media’s attention the unseen plight of thousands of mothers across the country. This is ahead of International Women’s Day to be marked on March 8, and which is set aside to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women.

“Women are at the heart of their families, communities and the country. Their health and survival has a huge impact on the economy and the environment, and on peace and stability. The death of a mother shatters her family and threatens the wellbeing of her family and her children. We all have a role to play to save their lives by advocating, among other things, increased funding for programmes to improve the health of mothers,” said Madam Odinga.

She pointed out that the solutions to improving maternal health already exist. “They include family planning, skilled attendance at birth and emergency obstetric care – things that some of us take for granted, yet they are inaccessible to the majority of Kenyan women.”

The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood is an international coalition of organisations and individuals bound together by a common goal: to help ensure that safe pregnancy and childbirth are an attainable priority for all mothers and their newborns. With members in 118 countries, WRA advocates for changes to ensure every woman has access to quality health care before, during and after childbirth. 

While there has been progress in some health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set in 2001, the least progress has been made towards meeting MDG 5 – reducing the deaths of mother by three quarters by 2015. Maternal mortality in Kenya has remained unchanged over the years. And for every woman that dies in childbirth, 20 others suffer long-term illness and disabilities that are devastating to the woman and a serious economic drain on families and on society. 

“Maternal Mortality is the single greatest indicator of health systems that fail to meet the basic needs of the society’s poorest and most vulnerable women,” said Angela Nguku, WRA-K founder and National Coordinator.

For more information please go to www.whiteribbonalliance.org or contact Angela Nguku on Tel: + 254 20 699 3215

Records Management Course

Fees: US$600

Course Dates:
9 August – 20 August 2010

General Objective

The general objective of the course is to provide relevant skills and competencies to participants for the development and implementation of records management policy, systems, procedures and practices.

Specific Objectives

After completion of the course, participants should be able to:

• Prepare a policy on records management.
• Describe the main concepts and principles of records management
• Effectively operate registries.
• Prepare and implement a records classification and indexing scheme.
• Prepare and implement a records retention /disposal scheme
• Demonstrate ability and skills to review records management policy, systems, procedures and practices
• Manage an archival unit or a records centre.
• Plan and carry out records survey
• Plan and carry out records appraisal
• Process records in a records centre.
  

Target Group

The target group participants are drawn from all cadres of society, especially health workers, social/community development workers, representatives of NGOs and Civil Society, project managers and project officers in health and health-related fields.

Apply Online
Download the short courses application form

Malaria Prevention, Control and Management Course

Fees: US$600

Course Dates:
13 - 24 September 2010

Target audience

The course is designed for Clinical Officers, Nurses, Environmental Officers, Laboratory Technologists and Public Health Officers.

Overall objective of the course:

The main objective of this course is to provide an up-date in clinical management, prevention and control of Malaria through the acquisition of knowledge and practical skills.

Course organisation

The course is sub-divided into four main units;

• Unit 1 provides an overview on the challenges of malaria and its impact on socio-economic development.
• Unit 2 covers clinical aspects of malaria including diagnosis and patient management of Malaria.
• Unit 3 covers control and prevention measures of Malaria.
• Unit 4 covers planning, management and monitoring malaria control programmes/intervention

Apply Online
Download the short courses application form

Advocacy Skills Course

Fees: US$300

Course Dates:

11 - 15 October 2010

Target audience

This course is for senior and mid-level programme/projects managers, medical and health personnel and government officers.

Purpose

The purpose of this course is to empower the participants with advocacy and lobbying skills in order to advocate for health and health related issues. The course will include following:

Course organisation

• Meaning of lobbying and advocacy and how to identify advocacy issues.
• Building constituency for support and mobilisation.
• Networking and coalition with other similar organisations.
• Identifying advocates for a particular issue.
• Designing and pre-testing messages for identified target groups before going public.
• Using materials to lobby and support the campaign i.e. flyers, pamphlets, booklets, position papers, fact sheets etc.
• Use of media in advocacy and lobbying.
• How to reach and lobby the policy makers i.e. parliamentarians, religious groups, senior government officials etc.
• Building consensus and dealing with divergent views (addressing / countering the opposition).
• Fundraising for advocacy
  

Apply Online
Download the short courses application form

Health Finance Management

Fees: US$900

Course Dates:
1 - 19 November 2010

Course Objectives

The course will assist Facility and Programme Managers to develop an understanding of the importance of linking planning and budgeting; learning how to identify the required resources in preparing a budget, how to estimate the cost of services, developing tools and techniques for preparing a budget.

At the end of the course the participants would have learned and developed appropriated leadership skills, knowledge and attitudes in basic financial management, resource mobilization, health reform measures and SWAps necessary for effective management of health care delivery.

The training intervention through this short course seeks to enhance the capacity of facilities and programmes in issues of financial management in the health sector, complementing the various on-going capacity building interventions. The intervention at the programme and facility level is critical since, without active participation of facilities and programmes in the on-going health reform process, the impact on quality of service provision would be minimal.

Module 1: Health Services Planning and Budgeting
Objectives

At the end of this module the participants should be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of planning, budgeting and financing policies and procedures of various Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations;
• Demonstrate understanding of the importance of linking planning and budgeting in facilities and health programmes;
• Demonstrate ability to identify and estimate the required inputs [resources] in preparing a budget;
• Demonstrate understanding of the importance of financial controls and monitoring and ability to apply them in various settings;
• Demonstrate ability to identify tools and techniques for preparing a budget and apply them in different settings
• Demonstrate ability to analyze and interpret financial reports and statements for purposes of decision-making;
• Identify the characteristics of an effective control system;
• Describe the use of budgetary and non-budgetary controls;
  

Module 2: Managing Finances
Objectives

At the end of the module participants should be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of the concept of financial management;
• Explain financial management cycle;
• Demonstrate understanding and application of basic financial management skills;
• Describe accounting and financial control systems and demonstrate ability of their application;
• Able to create a financial performance report;
• Identify various institutional and donor financial reporting requirements and demonstrate ability to apply them in various settings;

Module 3: Health Care Financing
Objectives

By the end of this module participants shall:

• Demonstrate understanding of the concept of health care financing;
• Describe the various sources of funding of health care delivery;
• Demonstrate understanding of various methods of pooling financial resources and ability to apply these methods;
• Demonstrate clear understanding of health care financing outlays;
• Describe the steps of designing a Social Health Insurance Scheme;
• Demonstrate understanding and ability to design a Community Based Health Financing Programme;

Module 4: Health Sector Reforms
Objectives

At the end of this module participants shall be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of the concept of health sector reforms;
• Describe in detail health sector reform measures;
• Demonstrate understanding of the various components of health sector reforms;
• Describe the dynamics of health stakeholders analysis;
  

Module 5: Sector Wide Approaches (SWAps)
Objectives

At the end of the module participants shall be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of the concept of Sector Wide Approaches (SWAps);
• Demonstrate understanding the structure of SWAps;
• Demonstrate understanding and ability to apply synergy between SWAps and poverty reduction;
• Demonstrate ability to operationalize SWAps;
  

Apply Online

Download the short courses application form

AMREF has various job opportunities at its headquarters in Nairobi, country offices in Africa and national offices in Europe and North America. View all the current opportunities below

Job Title:         Librarian

Department:    Capacity Building

Duty Station: NHTI Maridi, Southern Sudan

Reports To:     Regional Librarian

Position Overview

The NHTI Librarian is responsible for providing adequate and essential Resource Centre services at the National Health Training Institute and maintenance of the RC equipment and collections. The librarian will ensure that materials and collections are relevant, current and accessible to students and staff.

Essential job functions

    * Manage the planning, technical and budgetary functions of the RC and information services with assistance from Regional Librarian and the Principal NHTI, Maridi
    * Develop and manage convenient, accessible RC and the Information services.
    * Develop and manage a cost –effective RC and information services, technology and media services
    * Analyze and evaluate RC information services, technology and media service requirements
    * Prepare reports related to the RC information services, technology and media services, resources and activities

 Provide effective access to RC collections and resources

    * Process by indexing, cataloguing, and classification of print, audio-visual and electronic resources

Maintain the organization of RC materials

    * Ensure an accurate inventory of resources
    * Maintain inventories, compile statistics and generate reports as required
    * Ensure efficient information retrieval by users
    * Search external database programs for the availability of cataloguing copy
    * Maintain inventories, compile statistics and generate reports as required
    * Develop and maintain cataloguing procedures
    * Determine the type of cataloguing required
    * Enter cataloguing data into the RC’s automated system
    * Process resources for placement on shelves
    * Complete cataloguing records where only partial copy is available
    * Index materials for the pamphlet collection

Provide RC services in response to the information needs of the user

    * Respond to daily on-site requests for information
    * Study the Information needs of clinical officers’ trainees, midwifery trainees, faculty staff, and the rest of RC users including external information users
    * Train library users to effectively search the RC catalogue, Internet and other electronic resources
    * Provide an interlibrary loan service for both book and audiovisual materials and maintenance of records for the interlibrary loan service
    * Maintain circulation files, records and statistics

 Market for the RC to ensure utilization by neighbouring communities such as Maridi County Hospital

    * To do publicity for the resource in other NGO’s in Maridi ,South Sudan like AAHI,
    * Provide Health information to Health workers in South Sudan

Train students on Internet search engines for research purposes

    * Maintain the E-Centre and ensure effective use of the E- Centre

Records management for the Institute and Projects

    * Collecting information for the Newsletter
    * Data entry and editing of the Newsletter
    * Designing of the Newsletter layout
    * Circulation of the Newsletter

Key Qualifications

Diploma in Information studies with a minimum of 2 years experience in modern fully automated RC, proven working knowledge of Inmagic software,  experience in preparing content for online libraries, use of Medical Subject Headings (MESH) and be well experienced in access to information from  the Internet;

AMREF is an equal opportunity employer and has a non-smoking environment policy. 

Management Responsibility

• Provide technical support to country project teams in specified areas of expertise
• Coordinate common activities that enhance achievement of global objectives (include but not limited to research, M&E, documentation and sharing, communication, visibility, donor liaison)
• Manage project resources as assigned
• Responsible for overall project reporting

Description of Duties:

1. Provides hands on guidance and support to planning, implementation of and reporting on country projects. This includes linking to networks and resources outside AMREF as needed.
2. Supports routine monitoring of project and harvesting of data to show progress towards outcomes
3. Backstops research and advocacy activities in country projects, assists in write up of research work and develops advocacy campaigns with country teams
4. Implements and  monitors specific regional activities of the project
5. Responsible for preparing and managing the HQ budget, and supports preparation and management of country budgets
6. Responsible for project knowledge management and disseminates project information by preparing and communicating project reports on a regular basis, including financial and technical reports to donors and all required project information to AMREF internal users
7. Drafts various project reports based on country drafts, including coordination with the finance department for preparation of the joint financial project report
8. Carries out literature review and disseminates the information to project teams in countries for use in their work
9. Supports development of research concepts for the whole project team including identifying and obtaining technical support needed by country teams
10. Prepares and reports on regional meetings of country,  HQ and National Office teams
11. Ensures programme integration and growth by participating in strategic meetings, building relationships across the organisation, and developing new project initiatives.
12. Responsible for gender integration across all project interventions
13. Undertakes other duties as may be assigned by the reproductive and child health director

Accountability

1. Supervision: Work independently on tasks related to project planning and implementation with periodic reporting and direction from supervisors.
2. Decision Making: Makes decisions on the project implementation and its daily management.
3. Responsibility over data or information: Has access to important information on finance, research and M&E as regards the project, its budget and its general trend and performance.
4. Responsibility over assets: Proper management of financial resources, equipment and project utilities; keeps a copy of country inventories for eventual accountability to EC.
5. Responsibility over Staff:  Responsibility over project staff within the AMREF HR framework and country management relationships
   

Professional Qualifications

Minimal
Masters degree in health or social studies with a minimum of 7 years experience  in public health, at least 4 of which included management of major projects
Desirable
Additional qualification in project management (e.g. UK Institute of Project management qualifications); an MBA in addition to public health  highly desirable

Relevant Experience

Minimal - Hands on experience in project implementation and management, add-on training and knowledge in research; experience with multi-country projects;

Desirable - Experience with advocacy a major advantage; experience working with CSOs, CBOs and communities.

Lenght of Experience

Minimal - 7 years

Desirable - Over 7 years

Key Skills

Minimal - Community-based approaches; Ability to work independently; good leadership and communication skills
Ability to work with people from all backgrounds; hands on research coordination and advocacy skills   

Desirable - Research leadership and management skills

Personal Attributes

Mature, personable, team player with distinct leadership potential

Performance Standard For This Job

Quality of work as indicated by achievement of specific outputs as detailed in the regional and country Project work plans.
    
If you feel that you meet the above criteria, please quote above reference number: - CHR/10/02-01 and send your details including remuneration requirements and contact details of three work-related referees to, The Director of Human Resources, AMREF Headquarters by email to jobs@amref.org. 

We regret that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.  We encourage those interested to send their applications by March 11, 2010.

Ethiopia has some of the lowest health indicators in the world. Most problems stem from infectious diseases and malnourishment associated with poverty.

Such illnesses could be easily prevented. However, poor education, bad infrastructure, lack of access to safe water, bad sanitation and inadequate health care mean that in Ethiopia preventable illnesses too often prove fatal.

However, there are signs of improvement. Ethiopia is one of the few countries to have recognised the importance of community health workers, who are providing vital basic health care and education in rural areas.

Major health challenges

The Ethiopian health system is suffering from a human resource crisis. The World Health Organisation has warned that there are not enough doctors and health workers to care for the country’s 75 million people. Many trained health staff are also migrating overseas or leaving to work in the private sector.

The quality of health care in Ethiopia is undermined by weak referral systems and difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff. Health centres also suffer from regular shortages of medicines and laboratory equipment.

The rural nature of much of the population means that is it especially difficult to deliver health care to hard-to-reach groups such as women and children from ethnic minorities and nomadic tribes living far from health facilities, towns, or even roads.

Health problems like HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and water borne diseases are undermining the Ethiopian workforce, keeping people from earning and lowering productivity levels as a result.

AMREF is:

• Training health workers among the nomadic pastoralist groups in South Omo and providing mobile health clinics along migratory routes.
• Training specialist health workers in hospitals around the country.
• Supporting women affected by HIV/AIDS in Kechene slum in Addis Ababa, by providing loans and business training. The project also promotes HIV prevention and reduces stigma attached to HIV/AIDS.
• Reducing malaria in the remote region of Afar, through the distribution of 90,000 mosquito nets at household level, and community sessions using culturally-specific picture-based educational materials.
• Reducing waterborne diseases in Kechene slum through the provision of clean water, showers and toilets.
  
• Improving health education, awareness and promotion of trachoma prevention practices in Afar
  

In 2010, AMREF will run the following short courses: (Click on the course title to view details)

 General Information:

1. Certification - The participants, upon successful attendance of each short course will be awarded an AMREF certificate of participation stipulating the topics covered.
2. Learning Resources:- Computer laboratory with internet access; A well-equipped clinical laboratory where trainees carry out practical examinations; A state-of-the-art health library which provides access to information that is otherwise unavailable locally
3. Costs: - Training costs covers lunch, stationery, field trips and all course related learning materials.- Accommodation (US$ 48 per day) To cover half board accommodation (bed, dinner and breakfast) including daily transport to and from the training venue using the AMREF bus.- Mode of payment All payments to the course should be made two weeks to the commencement of each course in cheques payable to AMREF or through bank transfer to the AMREF account
4. Tailor made courses: AMREF organises customised short courses for groups of not less than 15 participants in health and health-related fields, tailored to the needs of individuals or organisations. Our clients have included NGOs and Ministries of Health in Sudan, Malawi, Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Eritrea.
   

Apply Online

Download the short courses application form

<< Back to AMREF Courses & Training Programmes

Monitoring and Evaluation

Fees: US$1200

Course Dates:

8 March -2 April 2010

21 June-16 July 2010

6 September - 1 October 2010

8 November -12 November 2010

This course equips participants with competencies in monitoring and evaluation of health and development interventions at project, programme and organisational level. The course takes four weeks.

Course Objectives

By the end of the four weeks, participants would have gained:

• Concise understanding of the concepts, principles and processes of monitoring and evaluation
• Knowledge and skills in designing monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems
• Competence in formulation of change-oriented indicators and change monitoring frameworks
• Knowledge and skills in using different tools and methods for data collection
• Competence in application of qualitative and quantitative data analysis tools and methods, effective report writing and presentation
  

PART ONE
Content

CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Areas of coverage

• Operational definitions of monitoring, evaluation, review and assessment
• Difference between monitoring, evaluation, review and assessment
• Importance of monitoring and evaluation in project/programme development
• Types of monitoring and evaluation
• Planning and implementing participatory monitoring
• Performance indicators.
  

DESIGNING AN EVALUATION

Areas of coverage

• Developing terms of reference for an evaluation
• Tools and methods relevant for data collection
• Sampling methods
• Importance of triangulation in evaluations
• Quality control
• Formulation of questionnaires
• General guidelines to asking questions
  

CONDUCTING AN EVALUATION

Areas of coverage

• Steps in organising and conducting a preparatory training for evaluation teams
• Testing tools for data collection
• Data collection
  

FIELD VISIT

• Data collection
• Experiential learning
• Field reporting

PART TWO
Part two focuses on data analysis, report writing and presentation of monitoring and evaluation results.

Content

QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

Areas of coverage

• Data reduction, organisation and interpretation.
• Methods of qualitative analysis:
  • Successive approximation
  • Analytic comparison: Method of agreement, method of difference
  • Cultural analysis
  • Contact summary sheet
  • Codes and coding
  • Site analysis meeting
• How to interpret qualitative data.
  

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS METHODS

Areas of coverage

• Tools and methods for analysing and interpreting quantitative data
• Assessing and judging results
• Computer applications using SPSS Package:
  • Introduction to data analysis
  • Introduction to SPSS
  • Structure of data bases
  • Getting from completed questionnaires to a database-coding keys, closed and open ended questions, data entry
  • Data cleaning- ensuring data is entered correctly
  • Types of variables; uni- and bi- variate analysis; planning your analysis.
  • Univariate analysis-frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and dispersion
  • Bivariate analysis: cross-tabulations, measures of significance and correlation
  • Data interpretation
  • Printing data
    

REPORT WRITING AND PRESENTATION

Areas of coverage

• Contents and format of an evaluation report
• Report writing skills
• Report presentation skills
• Organising and conducting user workshops
  

PART THREE

Content

DESIGNING M&E SYSTEM AND CHANGE MONITORING

Designing a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) System: definition, aims and objectives of the system; selection of relevant information and indicators; tools and methods relevant for data collection and analysis in a M&E system; organisation for M&E; presentation and use of results derived from a M&E system.

Performance indicators: What are they? Criteria for selecting performance indicators.

Impact Monitoring: Why impact monitoring; impact monitoring framework.

Apply Online

Download the short courses application form

According to the 2007 Household Budget Survey (HBS), 12.9 million Tanzanians live below the poverty line as compared to 11.4 million in 2000 - 2001.  The direct and indirect costs of disease and ill health have been shown to be significant.

AMREF in Tanzania is progressively working within the Tanzanian government’s policy framework and in particular the Tanzanian Development Vision 2025 that aims to eradicate poverty and improve quality of life through the National Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction locally known as MKUKUTA¹ .

AMREF works all over the country, empowering communities and supporting the government at all levels to identify and address community health needs. We have tested half a million people for HIV in a programme that has been adopted and scaled up by the government.

Major Health Challenges

Maternal mortality has increased creating a major concern for the national health system. 53% of pregnancies are delivered at home, and very few of these deliver with the help of skilled personnel.

Tanzania has one of the highest adolescent pregnancy rates in the world. Pregnancy in very young girls is always associated with high risk for mother and child. Early entry into reproductive health increases the risk of health threats such as anaemia, malnutrition and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and the risk of obstructed labour and vesicovaginal fistula (VVF).

HIV/AIDS is one of the leading causes of lost productivity in Tanzania with a highly negative impact on household savings and assets, further worsening the existing conditions of poverty in the most vulnerable communities.

Inadequate access to safe water, poor sanitation and hygiene practices continue to be a major public health challenge, especially in rural areas and informal urban settlements.

AMREF is:

• Encouraging people to get themselves tested for HIV through the Angaza Zaidi project and reducing the stigma attached to the disease
• Improving health and quality of life by providing water and sanitation facilities, educating communities and promoting good water and sanitation practices at all levels in Serengeti district through the Maji  ni Uhai project.
• Funding HIV organisations throughout the country as the major recipient of the Global Fund for HIV, TB and malaria.
• Reducing the impact of HIV and AIDS among women in Serengeti district 
• AddressIing fistula in the context of maternal mortality and morbidity through the National Fistula Program .
  
• Training community health workers to help prevent malaria in Mtwara
  
• Improving water, sanitation and reproductive health services and reducing childhood illnesses in Mkuranga district. 
• Establishing a framework for improvement of HIV/AIDS response among mobile populations within Lake Victoria Basin through the EAC/AMREF Lake Victoria Partnership
• Realising the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS through the Haki za Wananchi project
• Putting African Mothers and Children First in Kenya,Tanzania and Southern Sudan
  

¹Swahili translation of the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty - Mkakati wa Kukuza Uchumi na Kupunguza Umaskini Tanzania (MKUKUTA)

Following in the footsteps of the legendary Florence Nightingale, nursing students take free health care to a needy and neglected community 

Students of AMREF’s Virtual Nursing School (AVNS) will hold a Health Action Day Camp at the Jam City slum in Athi River on Friday, February 12, 2010, starting at 9am.   The event, to be held at the grounds of the Amrita Children’s Centre in Athi River, is part of the training programme for nurses enrolled at the AVNS, and is geared towards equipping them with skills in community health care, a key component of in their professional practice. The primary purpose of the camp is to help individuals and the community to develop knowledge, skills and motivation to take charge of their own health. The day’s activities will include screening and treatment for diseases, family planning services, cervical cancer screening, immunisation for children under five years and expectant mothers, nutritional counselling, health education and environmental clean-up. Complex cases will be referred to hospital. This day would not be possible without the generous contribution and funding from The Nation Media Group whose staff will participate as volunteers for the medical camp. 

AMREF’s Virtual School has been training nurses through eLearning, a revolutionary method that uses computer and mobile technology to upgrade the skills of nurses while they are still working. Since its inception in March 2007, AVNS students have emerged the best countrywide in the two state registration and licensing examination that they sat for.

To the Editor

The African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) is the largest Africa-based international non-governmental organisation working in health development. AMREF targets the very poor, those living within the lowest economic quartile, remote areas, urban slums, IDP camps, nomadic populations, in situations of chronic insecurity and those groups particularly vulnerable to diseases of poverty such as women, children, adolescent and youth. 

For more information, contact Angela Nguku on +254 722 365434 or 6993000

About the Nation Media Group (NMG)

NMG is the leading multi-media house in East & Central Africa and is a keen and proud investor in community programmes. Social and Community responsibility is one of its 15 top line principles that management and staff agree is a must-have in its formula for success as a corporate. NMG believes it is important to give back to the community, helping them to achieve their goals. NMG’s Corporate Social Responsibility section is therefore responsible for maintaining good contacts with key stakeholders to ensure sustainable community partnerships; planning and driving the promotion, co-ordination and delivery of employee participation in community events.

Women are more vulnerable to ill health in Africa. Low income and social status, lack of education and traditional gender roles and responsibilities are key contributing factors.

For example, three quarters of the population living with HIV in Africa between the age of 15-24 are women. Women are biologically more vulnerable to HIV, but the key factors behind this disparity are social and economic. Financial circumstances can force women into selling themselves for sex and too many of those who are in relationships or married are not in a position to demand faithfulness or safe sex.

Maternal death rates in Africa are particularly high because of the lack of skilled midwives, obstructed labour, unsafe abortions, anaemia and malaria. 1 in 16 women dies as a result of pregnancy or childbirth compared to just 1 in 4,000 in industrialised countries.

Pregnant women in Africa are particularly vulnerable to malaria. Their immunity is low, and they often do not have the knowledge or the means of prevention.

Obstructed labour is a particular problem for young women giving birth whose bodies are not sufficiently developed. Some African countries have the highest adolescent pregnancy rates in the world – 40 % of girls have given birth before they are 14.

Violence against women is also a key concern in Africa, especially in South Africa, which has the highest incidence in the world among countries not at war.

AMREF’s work with women

AMREF promotes reproductive rights, including those that help women to make informed choices about family planning. In Tanzania, we are empowering women to recognise their reproductive rights and encouraging them to discuss this openly with their spouses.

We are also promoting access to and use of reproductive health services, including obstetric care, family planning, and management of pregnancy complications. In Uganda we are encouraging commercial sex workers to practice safe sex and providing them with an alternative means of earning a living through training courses in tailoring, hairdressing and business skills.

Southern Sudan has the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. Less than 20 midwives serve a population of approximately 10 million people. To tackle this urgent need, AMREF is training community midwives from around the region.

In all of our programmes dealing with malaria we encourage pregnant women to take preventive measures against the disease. In Afar in Ethiopia we are training 300 mother co-ordinators to ensure that pregnant women in their communities are protecting themselves.

In South Africa we are raising awareness about violence against women, helping women to access the relevant services and working with the authorities to better protect women through improved laws and policies.

Projects and stories

• Jijenge Reproductive Rights Project, Tanzania
• Serengeti Women and HIV/AIDS, Tanzania
• National Fistula Program, Tanzania
  
• Kawempe Commercial Sex Workers, Uganda
• Training Midwives, Southern Sudan
• Violence Against Women, South Africa
• Putting African Mothers and Children First in Kenya,Tanzania and Southern Sudan
  
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Almost 4 million children under five die in sub-Saharan Africa every year. For every 1,000 babies born, 172 die – (this figure falls to nine per 1,000 in developed regions). The statistics are worst in countries that are affected by conflict.

Major causes of death for under-fives in sub-Saharan Africa include malaria, acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea and AIDS-related diseases. Additionally, many babies die in their first month because of complications during pregnancy and labour, or from infections.

Eighty per cent of these children die at home without seeing a health worker, and most of these deaths could be prevented through basic interventions, clean water and sanitation.

AMREF’s work with children

AMREF is helping to stop these needless deaths by preventing and managing common childhood illnesses at home and at primary care level. These include malaria, respiratory infections, immunisable and acute diarrhoeal diseases, and child malnutrition.

In Busia in Kenya, AMREF has supplied 9,000 mothers and children with mosquito nets and is educating 20,000 school children about the importance of using them and seeking treatment if they experience the symptoms of malaria. We have trained hundreds of community health workers who are now able to administer anti-malarial drugs in people’s homes.

AMREF is also preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV and improving care, diagnosis and treatment for children living with HIV/AIDS. In Nairobi and the Makueni and Machakos districts in Kenya, we are raising awareness about how HIV can be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy, labour and delivery and breastfeeding as well as improving the treatment available for HIV-positive mothers and newborns.

AMREF supports children who have been orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS by supporting community and family members to generate income to be able to pay for their school fees.

Projects

• Preventing Mother to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS in Makueni, Machakos and Kibera, Kenya
• Homa Bay Widows and Orphans Support, Kenya
• Luwero Orphans and Vulnerable Children, Uganda
• Putting African Mothers and Children First in Kenya,Tanzania and Southern Sudan
  

Practical Project Management

Fees: US$ 600

Course Dates:

27 September - 8 October 2010

Course Description

Project managers are expected to bring together resources, skills, technology and ideas to delivery business benefits or achieve project objectives. Good project managers ensure that these benefits and objectives are delivered to an appropriate level of quality and within the constraints of time and cost, while at the same time managing the risk inherent in change and innovation. The aim of this course is to build the competencies of senior and middle level managers in efficient and effective project management.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course the participants should be able to:

• Use appropriate project procurement techniques;
• Apply project management fundamentals in managing ongoing and new projects;
• Plan projects through estimation and scheduling techniques;
• Use the appropriate methods and techniques to efficiently initiate, plan, control and report on projects;
• Plan for, identify, quantify and respond to risks throughout a projects lifespan;
• Acquire skills and knowledge to undertake recovery of troubled projects;
• Acquire working knowledge in project monitoring and evaluation techniques to track project performance;
• Acquire working knowledge in Project Appraisal and Selection;
• Plan, build and manage project schedules and budgets using Microsoft Project Professional;
• Build a project plan, enter tasks and develop calendars;
• Establish task constraints and deadlines, and create task dependencies;
• Forecast and allocate human and material resources;
• Track progress, update plans and monitor variances between target and actual project deliverables;
• Create dynamic reports and custom views to communicate project information;
• Acquire working knowledge in projects implementation tracking techniques i.e. design and development of Logframe Analysis Matrix.
  

Content

• Basic Project Management Concepts
• Project Risk Management
• Estimating and Scheduling Projects
• Project Management Team Members
• Designing and Constructing Logical Frames
• Recovering Troubled Projects
• Project Selection and Appraisal Techniques
• Microsoft project

Target Group
Senior and middle level managers in strategic leadership of health and development programmes.

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Gender in Health and Development Course

Fees: US$300

Course Dates:
4- 8 October 2010

Learning Outcomes/ Programme Purpose

Target audience

The workshop is designed for middle management level officers in government ministries and development agencies responsible for health programmes, projects and activities.

Overall objective

The participants will be able to mainstream gender in their programmes and activities.

Specific Objectives

The objectives of the Gender and Health workshop are to:

• Strengthen the overall capacity of the participants in gender analysis
• Equip the participants with skills and techniques for gender mainstreaming.
• Appreciate the importance of mainstreaming gender in their programmes, projects and activities.

Course organisation

The course covers the following main units

• Gender, gender equality, development, rights and gender mainstreaming
• Gender analysis – concepts, framework and methodology
• Gender mainstreaming
• Monitoring and evaluation of gender mainstreaming
  

Unit 1: Gender and Gender Related Definitions and Concepts
Content:

• Attitudes towards women and men
• Gender and gender related concepts
• Gender power relations
  

Learning Outputs:

• Consensus on the definitions of gender related concepts
• Appreciation of cultural attitudes
• Understanding of gender power relations
  

Unit 2: Gender and Health
Content

• Development and gender equality
• Human rights and gender
• Health rights and gender
  

Learning Outputs:

• Differentiation of various approaches to development and gender
• Understanding of gender in the context of human and health rights
  

Unit 3: Tools for Gender Analysis
Outputs:

• Understanding tools of gender analysis
• Skills of applying tools in their programs and projects
  

Content

• Introduction
• Harward Analytical Framework
• People-Oriented Planning
• Moser Framework
• Gender Analysis Matrix
• Women’s Empowerment Framework
• Capacities and Vulnerabilities
  

Analysis Framework

• Social Relations Approach

Unit 4: Gender Mainstreaming
Content:

• What is gender mainstreaming
• Problem analysis – root causes
• Common concerns in gender mainstreaming
• Mainstreaming project cycle

Outputs:

• Skills in gender mainstreaming
• Appreciation of the importance of mainstreaming
  

Unit 5: Monitoring Gender Mainstreaming
Learning Outputs:

• Skills in developing gender sensitive indicators
• Ability to develop monitoring plans and implementing them

Learning Content:

• Indicators
• Monitoring process
• Monitoring gender mainstreaming
  

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4 weeks Course

Fees: US$1200

Course Dates:

1 - 26 November 2010

Training is a powerful tool for change.  Indeed,  the need for trainers is crucial in all organisations as knowledge transmission holds the key to societal and organisational transformation. However, for training to be effective, it must be designed and delivered in an engaging, interactive, inspiring and motivating way. This course applies a hands-on approach to participatory training methods and skills and ensures that you acquire the knowledge and skills you need to deliver training in a stimulating atmosphere. 

Target Group

The course targets trainers, teachers, human resource personnel, community facilitators, project managers, training consultants, lecturers, who provide training for local and international participants.

Course Content

The content of the course includes:

•    Concepts of international training

•    The psychology of adult learners (andragogy)

•    The nature and dynamics of training – learning processes

•    Theories of learning

•    Effective training and trainers

•    Scheme and lesson planning

•    Principles of curriculum/content selection

•    Training methodologies

•    Cross-cultural training factors

•    Learning Resources and modalities of learning

•    Planning, management and evaluation of training

•    Theoretical perspectives of micro-teaching

•    Micro-teaching practice and examination

•    Final written examination.

Teaching Methodology

This will  be delivered through lectures, question and answer sessions, group discussions, resource persons, brainstorming, class presentations, case studies, and videotaping of individual performances for reflection and feedback.

Mode of Evaluation

On successful completion of the course, the participants will be awarded a merit certificate in Advanced Training of Trainers. The participants will be evaluated through class participation and assignments, training practicum, and through a final written examination, as follows:

Class participation        -    20%

Training practicals        -    40%

Final written examination     -   40%

Total                -    100%  

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Logistics Management of Drugs and Medical Commodities

Fees: US$300

Course Dates:
8 - 12 November 2010

Course Objective

The main objective of this course is to provide participants with the competencies they need to maintain an efficient and effective patient/client focused drug and health commodity supply system.

Target Audience

This course is designed for supply chain managers, pharmacists, pharmaceutical attendants, and other health workers who are involved in the day to day management of drugs and health commodity supplies.

Course Content

• Introduction to logistics
• Roles and responsibilities of logistics personnel
• Receiving, allocating and dispensing commodities
• Inventory management
• Stock status assessment
• Logistics management information systems
• Waste Management
• Monitoring, evaluation and supervision.

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Fees: US$600

Course Dates:
15 - 26 November 2010

Purpose

This ten-day course aims at building the competencies of field personnel in qualitative research methods, through a combination of classroom training, practical field exercises, and critique of the field work.  The training will be held by AMREF in collaboration with CORE Group from USA.

Course contents

• Qualitative Research Overview,
• Research Study Design, 
• Interviewing Techniques, 
• Observation Techniques and Tools, 
• Focus Group Discussion Techniques and Tools, 
• Key Informant Interview Techniques and Tools, 
• Note-taking and Coding, and 
• Analysing and Evaluating QR Results.
  

The training will consist of approximately two days of field work and six days of interactive discussions, mini-lectures, small group work, exercises in pairs, knowledge contests, video-taped role-plays, and critiquing of the video playbacks.

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Training of Facilitators (TOF) Course

Fees: US$1200

Course Dates:
2 Aug - 27 Aug 2010

OBJECTIVES

By the end of the training, participants should be able to:

1. Apply the concepts and principles of primary health care and community based health care in health and development programs and projects
2. Plan and manage community based health and development programs using a participatory approach
3. Plan and implement training programs utilizing the adult learning approaches
4. Share ideas and experiences and challenges in implementing primary health and community based health and development programs on own projects and programs
   

Phase 1: PHC/CBHC Concepts, principles and approaches

1. Experiences and challenges in Community Based Development
2. Health and Development
3. PHC/CBHC strategy in Africa
4. Community participation
5. Community analysis and entry process
6. Inter-sectoral collaboration/partnerships
7. Participatory leadership/team building
8. Health sector reform and implementation
9. Process and approaches in developing a CBHC program
10. Sustainable CBHC programs
11. Field practicals
    

Phase 2: Planning and management of CBHC programs

1. Results Based Planning and Management of Community Based Programs
2. Logical framework as a planning tool
3. Proposal writing
4. Mobilizing resources for Community Based Development Programs
5. Participatory monitoring and evaluation of community programs
6. Field practicals

Phase 3: Capacity Building for PHC/CBHC

1. Approaches and process in capacity building
2. Training community based resource people
3. Steps in developing a training program
4. Adult learning approaches
5. Preparing a training session
6. Steps in session presentation
7. Evaluating adult learning
8. Micro teaching
9. Planning a training workshop
10. Field practicals
    

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Entrepreneurship Development Program

Duration: 2 weeks
Fees:  US$600

Course Dates: 

19 July -30 July 2010

Course Objective

Managers are today expected to use entrepreneurial principles to ensure their businesses or projects yield profits or give a return on investment.  The main objective of this course is to equip you with the requisite knowledge and skills you need to organize, create and manage profitable ventures or make social change.   

Target Audience

This course is designed for aspiring entrepreneurs and people who would like to develop or strengthen a climate of entrepreneurship in their organizations or.

Course Content

• The nature of entrepreneurship
• Entrepreneurship: wealth, utility and welfare
• Entrepreneurship and human decision making
• Types of entrepreneurs
• The entrepreneurial process
• The entrepreneurial options
• Making move to entrepreneurship
• Resources in the entrepreneurial venture
• The meaning of success
• The business plan: an entrepreneurial tool
• Gaining financial support issues and approaches
• The dimensions of Business growth
• Strategies for expansion

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Behaviour Change and Communication in HIV/AIDS

Fees: US$600

Course Dates:
12 July - 23 July 2010

Goals

Behaviour Change and Communication in HIV/AIDS course is intended to:

• Assist a diverse audience of health and health related professionals in public, private, and community sectors.
• Develop skills and strategies to prevent or reduce behaviors that place persons at risk for STD or HIV infections.

Objectives

By the end of the course, trainees will be able to:

• Describe Behaviour Change and behavioural theories and frameworks
• Analyze behaviour in context: the cultural, social, political and economic factors underlying health behaviour and behaviour change
• Analyze behavioural aspects of health problems, the context, and target groups
• Select most appropriate means of communication and media, and design messages and materials based on research and analysis
• Describe all the stages of production and use of communication materials for BCC from conception and development, to pre-testing, planning of use, and implementation, to monitoring and evaluation
• Apply the strategic use of interpersonal communication approaches and their role in inducing behaviour change
• Plan BCC strategies for the improvement of health of targeted population groups

Course organisation:

The following is an outline of the units covered;

1. Introduction to behaviour change and communication
2. Behavioural theories used in HIV/AIDS prevention
3. The behaviour change process
4. The contextual domains of behaviour change
5. Factors that cause people to change behavour
6. Introduction to behaviour change communication strategy
7. Developing BCC objectives, strategies and activities
8. Conducting communication channels analysis
9. Communication approaches, appeal and tone
10. Conducting problem analysis and development
11. Conducting behaviour analysis
12. Interpersonal communication skills
13. Community participation in BCC interventions
14. Message and materials development
15. Design and layout of messages and print materials
16. Developing effective radio spots
17. Implementation of BCC plans
18. Role of research in BCC programs formative assessments
19. Monitoring and evaluation of BCC
    

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Download the short courses application form