Transcript GOAL CARE GROUPS

GOAL ETHIOPIA’s EXPERIENCE
Hibret Getahun (GOAL Ethiopia Health Coordinator)
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4 year grant funded by USAID in Sidama
Covered area of 168K population with 1,640
Care Group Volunteers, 891 CHPs, and 60
HEWs
Approach allowed for good coverage and peer
support approach
Four key themes in programme: Nutrition
(25%), Diarrhea (25%), Malaria (25%) and
Maternal/New-born Care (25%)
Care Group approach using Designing for
Behaviour Change-key component of
implementation strategy (all program staff
stakeholders trained at outset of grant)
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Mothers of children < 2 years targeted and
members selected by community mothers
Unlike other community approaches, this allowed
Program to specifically target key program group
Meet once per month each mother had 10 HH to
support
Meetings lasted no more than 2 hours (1st hour
discussing previous months work/challenges and
then going theme for next month discussed)
Volunteer Ethos-HEW also present at meetings
and over time took over facilitation in some
groups (strengthen link with Health Facility/
sustainability)
Final Evaluation coincided with period of
acute food insecurity/drought in Sidama
Zone (MoH scaling up emergency nutritional
response)
 In program location evidence of community
resilience even during this challenging time;
Some Final Program Results(2011):
 Percentage of infants and young children age
6-23 months fed according to a minimum of
appropriate feeding practices: (25.4% (bl)57.9% (final))
 Percentage of children 0-23 months who are
underweight (28.1% (bl)-20.2% (final) )
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Care Groups had been in place for 2 years
Mothers had improved coping strategies during
times of drought and strengthened links with
Health Post
Unexpected Results (during final evaluation): men
in the community stated they also valued the
Care Groups (their wives kept the homes cleaner,
they used FP so less likely to be pregnant and
sick all the time!)
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Scale up: currently regional training on-going in
Nairobi on Designing for Behaviour Change
(health/Food Security Teams) replicate Care
Group Approach
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Exiting out of Care Groups and ensuring that
they continue to function: involving HEW
(MoH) useful/Care Group model complements
Gov Development Army approach however
HEW’s already overburdened
Other option support natural community
leaders -receive additional training support
(sustainability?)
Supporting Facilitators (NGO staff, MoH) to
facilitate and not lecture: needs continued
support to continue this change in approach