Health literacy is about people’s understanding of health, and the way they can use knowledge of western medicine to negotiate health structures such as hospitals, medical staff and treatments. In remote places where resources are limited and people rely on traditional health beliefs and practices, health literacy can empower communities to prevent disease, make healthy choices and improve their quality of life.

Positive Aid is working to raise the health literacy of the communities it works with through microscopy, sensitizations and campaigns. We train and support local people to share accurate information with individuals and groups in culturally appropriate ways, so that everyone has the chance to enjoy good health. Methods of training and sharing are always participatory and dynamic, as options are discussed and solutions discovered. Seeing is believing when people are shown the disease-causing bacteria in untreated drinking water through a microscope, or when someone with HIV stands up at a Chief’s meeting and tells the story of how they became well after starting on anti-retroviral treatment.