Workshop builds communication skills around HIV and AIDS

See also
Reflections on AfriAfya

Full workshop report October 2002

Learning ‘how to communicate more effectively making the most of limited resources’ was the way one participant at an eight-day training workshop on communication, documentation and facilitation skills described the outcome.

The workshop was organised by the Kenyan-based AfriAfya network and the UK-based Exchange programme. It was held at Sun ‘n Sand hotel in Kikambala, near Mombasa, Kenya from 22-29 October 2002. More than 30 participants attended, coming from various facilities around the country.

The workshop used an innovative and creative approach to rapidly build and reinforce capacity among participants. Designed to operate in two parts, the workshop first upgraded the skills of 12 facilitators in effective communication, documentation and facilitation approaches. These 12 then planned and ran the second part of the workshop for a further 20 participants drawn from AfriAfya field centres throughout Kenya.

The workshop focused on how to improve communication around HIV and AIDS. It drew on participants’ experience of HIV and AIDS communication and documentation in their communities. It explored:

• characteristics of good and bad communication
• challenges faced at community level when communicating around HIV and AIDS
• the importance of face-to-face communication
• effective interviewing skills
• how to prepare and undertake a field visit to identify knowledge, attitudes and practices among specific members of a community
• how to analyse and present findings from field research to a variety of different audiences using different formats and methods
• how to critically assess different communication and documentation materials
• why and how to document experiences and lessons
• how to make and test effective, appropriate and low cost communication materials.

Workshop organisers

AfriAfya is an African Network for Health Knowledge Management and Communication. It was set up in April 2000 by a consortium of Kenya-based health agencies to explore ways to harness information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve community health in rural and other marginalised settings. The Partner Agencies in the consortium are:

• Aga Khan Health Services, Kenya
• AMREF
• CARE Kenya
• Christian Health Association of Kenya (CHAK)
• Plan International
• SatelLife Healthnet Kenya
• Ministry of Health, Kwale
• World Vision International, Kenya.

The Network is currently working with financial support from the Rockefeller Foundation and the Partner Agencies.

Exchange is a networking and learning programme that facilitates effective health communication. Based in the UK, it is supported by the UK Department for International Development (DFID). Kenya is one of its focus countries. As a recent evaluation of the programme pointed out:

‘Exchange helps others do better what they want to do… it doesn’t set up its own projects and structures’.

Among the activities undertaken during the workshop were opportunities to meet with a group of community health workers and with young people from the Kikambala area to discuss their knowledge, attitudes and practices around HIV and AIDS and family planning. The findings from those discussions (see below) helped participants to identify possible ways of improving communication and documentation.

Participants had an opportunity to present some of the achievements resulting from the involvement with AfriAfya. These included:

• improved care for hospital patients
• better peer to peer health education in health clubs in schools
• increased awareness of young people in an urban slum area
• development of a community resource centre
• better reporting and feedback from a ministry of health office to the communities it serves
• more involvement of community members in looking after their own health.

As one of participants said about the experience and the importance of teamwork that AfriAfya conveys: ‘when many heads join in doing something, wonders can come out of it’.

Findings from community discussions

Teams of participants were able to meet with 15 community health workers (CHWs) in small discussion groups. Other participants were able to meet and discuss with 17 young people.

The CHWs were able to identify many of the causes of HIV and some of the practices that could lead to the spread of HIV. They also explored attitudes to family planning. Significant findings included:

• a lack of consistent use of condoms
• cultural practices such as sharing of sharp instruments and sexual practices around funerals contribute to HIV transmission
• reluctance of men to use family planning
• concern over possible side effects of various family planning methods.

CHWs also noted that they needed additional support to raise their profile within the communities.

With the young people, significant findings included:

• early initiation by girls of sexual activity – as young as seven
• lack of practical experience of using condoms.

more on HIV and AIDS communication