Sudan kassala brochure nov 2015

Implemented by:

COMMUNITY BASED HEALTHCARE PROGRAMME, SUDAN

Funded by: European Union

“Motherhood is everything�

A little girl from Kassala, Sudan

INTRODUCTION Muslim Aid is working with JASMAR Human security organization to address the high level of maternal mortality in Kassala state, Sudan. With funding from the European Union, the Community Based Healthcare Development Programme (CBHDP) has been launched.

PROJECT BACKGROUND Muslim Aid Sudan Office has been working in Kassala State since 2008. It has been offering basic healthcare services through mobile and fixed health clinics in the North Delta locality to build the capacity of the local communities and authorities. These essential services are provided through mobile clinics, covering the villages of Hadaliaya, 18 Essa Elhaj, Tementai East, Tementai West, Al-Bahrain, Oleeb Matateeb and Hangola.

The community based healthcare project is delivered through comprehensive and technology based methods. Muslim Aid is working with JASMAR to facilitate the process of delivering healthcare services and empowering local communities to develop good healthcare practices.

Healthcare project duration: 2014-2016

TARGET GROUPS: 18,000

Individuals and their families (85% women)

24

Safe Motherhood Groups

90

Health professionals

60

Youth volunteers Local authorities of Ministry of Mealth Civil Society Organization / Community Based Organisations

“In general the whole community is looked after by Muslim Aid and JASMAR. We believe they are providing services which are needed by the community especially those living in the remote areas through all the seasons, especially the emergency seasons (Rainfall).’’

DR Omer, State ministry of health

“We are happy because we can help our sisters and the community’’ Fatima, safe motherhood group leader, Matatabi

Aysha Hassan, a community representative shares a tender moment in Waga

AIM To improve the general health and well-being of the most vulnerable population in Kassala State, with a shared responsibility for healthcare and health issues between the local authorities and community members.

OBJECTIVES Improved general health and well-being of the most vulnerable population in North Delta locality - Kassala state, with local authorities and community members.

To improve community practices and create wareness for the use of essential maternal and child health services of adequate quality through community participation

MECHANISM TO DELIVER THE PROJECT IN KASSALA Muslim Aid and JASMAR facilitate the process of delivering healthcare trainings to the midwives and health experts in different areas of North Delta locality in cooperation with the Health Ministry. The trained midwives and health professionals then use various methods to transfer healthcare knowledge to Safe Motherhood Groups. Each group has a leader who imparts the information to several other local communities after the training session.

The following methods are used by the trained midwives to transfer health knowledge to individual beneficiaries aimed at enhancing women and children care in 24 local communities.

COMMUNITY BASED LISTENING GROUPS Health training sessions are delivered in four local languages including Arabic(main), Hadandawa, Bani Amir, Hausa and Barno. This group is referred to as the listening group which comprises of 25 community based listeners. After attending the talk delivered by the health experts, the participants go to their communities and disseminate the information. The topics covered in these healthcare sessions include HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, personal hygiene, environmental care and sanitation.

MOBILE TEXT MESSAGES AND VIDEOS The trained midwives and health experts use mobile phones to show photos and videos pertaining to health issues to the attendees of the health session. These photos and sms messages can be saved to the participants’ devices for their future references and can be shared with their relatives and friends living in remote areas.

SLIDE SHOWS & PRESENTATIONS Flip chart presentations are used to inform pregnant women about prenatal and postnatal care. The presentation includes a guideline on nutrition during pregnancy, vaccination for pregnant women, and prevention of HIV/AIDS, giving birth at home safely, warning signs during pregnancy, mother and chid care after birth and family planning.

POSTERS & LEAFLETS Information about health issues and their treatments is distributed by health professionals and midwives to the patients for easy access to information when required.

DRAMA SESSIONS Role play has been proved to be a very successful technique to spread information about healthcare. Community members are informed about healthcare through role play. This method has been useful in gaining audience attention- especially the youth- to send important healthcare messages across in an effective way.

“My sisters have benefitted from this programme. They are part of the Safe Motherhood Group. With the delivery of the project there is a change in their attitude, their environment, health issues and personal hygiene. The healthcare project is very beneficial for our women, I can tell you this first-hand’’ Alsadiq Ali, Steering Committee Member

“Our hopes for our children are good health and education’’ Women from Waga enjoys health awareness training

ACHIEVEMENTS & FUTURE TARGETS

Endorsed eight Civil Society Organisations (91 members) in eight targeted communities

Trained 16 Civil Society Organisations on healthcare issues

30 village midwives benefitted from refresher training

61 midwives will be trained by the end of 2016

Trained 16 members in eight targeted Safe Mother Groups on maternal healthcare

Will distribute 15,000 health awareness brochures and SMS messages

24 Safe Mother Groups will be trained by the end of 2016

Will deliver 56 sessions (formal) 600 (informal) on HIV/AIDS, 228 sessions (formal) 1,500 (informal) on MCH & 168 sessions (formal) 1,050 (informal) on chronic illnesses for health professionals and individual beneficiaries

“For some women it’s the first time they are learning about HIV/ Aids awareness.

The training is important for us’’ Midwives in Matatabi

MIDWIVES TRAINING: There is only one midwifery school in the Kassala state. Through the training sessions provided in collaberation with the State Ministry of health and Kassala midwifery school, village midwives learn about antenatal care. The refresher training course for midwives includes subjects such as treatment for women during pregnancy, labour pain and safe delivery and HIV / AIDS awareness. Upon the completion of the training, midwives approach different Safe Motherhood Groups and teach the participants about their wellbeing both pre and post delivery.

SAFE MOTHERHOOD GROUPS (SMGS): Safe Motherhood Groups have been set up by Muslim Aid and JASMAR and consists of women from different villages representing their communities. Safe Motherhood Groups identify the needs of various community members as well as discuss and resolve important maternal and child healthcare issues. The representatives of Safe Mother Groups, also referred as community women leaders, disseminate the health messages to women in their respective communities.

With community fund, the money donated in the area stays in the area. This fund is used for the most vulnerable people who can’t afford the expenses of medical treatment or medicine.

Asha Hasan from Wagar Al Waheda village received awareness messages on HIV/Aids, sanitation and reproductive health. She said: “I made a presentation for the community and visited the girls’ schools. I showed women and girls posters, pictures and illustrations on health issues.

These illustrations depict stories and messages which can be easily understood by the majority of women who are illiterate.’’

“I had a sister who passed away during childbirth. After being trained at the Safe Motherhood Group, my daughter, who is now also pregnant, knows about danger signs to look out for in complicated pregnancies. During the autumn season, we suffer from diseases such as Malaria and diarrhoea due to the rainy season, which brings in mosquitoes.

We were told through these workshops how to use mosquito nets and vector control through sanitation.�

Qubra, Community Women Leader

Photo Credits: Rebecca Rafique & Nazar Mohammed Ahmed Ali Copy written by Amal Imad Designed by Zahra Said

Muslim Aid London Office P.O.Box 3, London, E1 1WP Tel. 0207 377 4200 Muslim Aid Sudan Khartoum East, Aldium Block No.3, House no. 48 2nd Floor Khartoum State Sudan JASMAR Shari’a Algasr Janoub Building 127 Block 101 Khartoum South

Charity Reg No: 295224