Assisting communities tackle malaria
Resty Nsamba says that she is 30 years old, but her experiences and level of respect in her community suggest that she is much older. Selected as a Village Health Team (VHT) member by her village, Kyeyindula, in Kakooge sub county, Nakasongola district, Uganda in 2009, Resty had began providing community health services in September 2008. Now in her fourth year of service as a VHT, Resty confesses that work has not always been smooth, “We were selected but not trained; even some community members did not believe in us.”However, in 2011, AMREF with funding from CIDA rolled out interventions aimed at strengthening the role of community health workers commonly referred to as VHTs through training and capacity building. Resty and others VHTs in her community benefited from the skills attained which included identifying key symptoms of malaria, referrals and data management.
Currently Resty is a parish VHT peer supervisor often walking long distances to ensure that she counsels and refers children and mothers in her home village. She is highly respected with people in her village following her advice on all health matters and attending to any meeting that she calls without fail.
In response to mothers’ pleas to play an even greater role in her community, she is the chairperson of a local community based organisation (CBO) - Ffena Kunabegereka - supported by AMREF. The CBO has organised women to carry out outreaches through drama on use of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) and other malaria prevention strategies and are currently planning a revolving fund to buy ITNs and other necessities.
These volunteer positions are not Resty’s first foray into public service. In 2007, she was a community medicine distributor and was elected as an immunisation mobiliser, which she did for five years. When asked about her motivation to volunteer, Resty simply says, ‘When I am needed I go with great spirit because I am assisting people in my community; I am ready to do the work.’
Resty, an ordinary woman with an extraordinary life, demonstrates what a powerful force community health workers can be in bringing services to marginalised groups and bridging the gap between formal health facility health workers and community health workers. These services increase options and choices related to social sector services that can positively contribute to better health for children and mothers in rural communities.
AMREF is a transparent organisation distributing funds of up to $85 million per year.
