As we move into a new phase in Uranga and part of Boro, we thought it wise to take stock of how we’ve achieved so much. Particularly in terms of the outstanding work our community health workers have undertaken – those individuals we trained to care for others with HIV/AIDS. Time and time again our project has been recognised and singled out as leading efforts in home-based local care, even within the shadows of some of the largest, best-known NGOs. We know that it is most probably due to a range of factors, however it’s the clear motivation and commitment of the community health workers on the front line that we suspect we owe our success.

To find out more, Positive Aid recently commissioned a small research exercise into this issue. Community health workers across Uranga, as well as project management, were interviewed individually to tease out information that could help us when replicating the project further afield: What attracted the CHWs to undertake their training with us in the first place? What motivated them to volunteer their time in our project, especially when other organisations offered more lucrative rewards? What were their biggest challenges and most fulfilling successes?

We eagerly await the report from this investigation and plan to use it when selecting and training new community health workers when expanding into Ugunja later this year.