21 Patricia Ross
Channel: Virtual Midwives
Date: 2020-06-06

VIDM 2020 :: Making a difference: Community Health Workers in Sierra Leone
Facilitator: Neissa Meier

Teaching illiterate farmers in rural Sierra Leone to act as maternity care providers and change agents seems daunting. MOMS (Midwives on Missions of Service) has done this successfully since 2007. We created and refine a multi-pronged model, based on respectful partnerships, to build capacity. This model works well, especially by including local leaders, as we build a sustainable organization across the country. Areas where MOMS Community Health Workers work And even just live have significantly improved outcomes. These 500 women, with more graduates coming, have made an enduring difference. We will describe our model, the ugly lessons we learned, and what makes us so successful. We will cheerfully answer questions about applying our model to other settings.