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1994 – ongoing: Zimbabwe:
The country where the Community Health Club approach was first pioneered in 1995 (supported by Unicef and Oak Foundation). After a field trial of one year, the project was taken to scale in Makoni District (funded by Danida), and Tsholotsho and Gulu Districts (funded by DFID). Although the economy collapsed in 2001 and the organisation had to downsize for a few years, the Community Health Clubs in Makoni District continued their activities and actually prospered in a time of extreme recession. A new project has now started in Chipinge and Buhera District in partnership with Mercy Corps. In 2009 OXFAM became a partner and there is now a CHC project in Chipinge District.
2002-2003: Sierra Leone:
A consultancy for CARE International for the Directors Juliet and Anthony Waterkeyn, provided an opportunity to introduce this methodolgy in Sierra Leone. The pilot project in Bo and Moyamba Districts comprised of 50 CHCs in 25 villages. CHCs are now a common strategy in Sierra Leone and a training manual for the country has been produced, enabling the scaling up of this approach to take place.
2005- 2006: Uganda
The introduction of CHCs into Uganda was also facilitated by CARE International who requested Dr. J. Waterkeyn to assist in an emergency project in Gulu District in 15 IDP Camps. The ambitious target was to build 10,000 latrine within six months as well as to reach 120,000 people with health promotion. This proved to be possible using the CHC Approach and all targets were not only met but exceeded, with 11,500 latrine built within 8 months. CHC’s continue to be used in Northern Uganda and other organisations are now taking this route, with WaterAid supporting a recent training for local partner NGOs with a view to scaling up the methodology.
2007: Guinea Bissau
Effective Interventions requested Africa AHEAD to train facilitators and start up CHCs in the Southern Districts of Timbali and Quinara.
2005 – ongoing: South Africa
Based in South Africa there are a number of smaller training initiatives but the main project is with government helping to establish CHCs in three Water Management Areas, of which Africa AHEAD is implementing directly in Kwa Zulu Natal where health clubs are being started in 10 wards of Umzimkhulu.
