Empowering communities: 312 Graduate at the Gokwe North, Ward 33 CHC Ceremony.

On October 10th, 2024, Africa AHEAD successfully hosted another top notch Community Health Club (CHC) graduation held in Wards 33, celebrating the achievements of local communities in health and hygiene education. A total of 312 members from 15 clubs received certificates after completing 20 Participatory Health and Hygiene Education (PHHE) sessions and practical learning activities. The event, hosted in Kahobo village, was attended by key stakeholders, including the guest of honor Assistant DDC Mr. Stewart Gwatirinda, Ward 33 Women’s Quota Cllr. Spiwe Kadoma, Environmental Health Technician (EHT) for Ward 33 Miss Alice Maforimbo and the District Environmental Health Officer representative Mr. T. Mbizvo.

The training of Community-Based Facilitators, who established the 15 graduating clubs, was made possible through support from the Government of Zimbabwe and the generous funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This initiative was led by Action Contre La Faim, in partnership Africa AHEAD, Musasa and Nutrition Action Zimbabwe.

At the event, CHC members entertained the crowd with vibrant performances that included dances, songs, poems and plays. These artistic displays beautifully showcased their appreciation for the health and hygiene knowledge they had acquired. Through drama and music, they creatively highlighted key messages on critical hygiene topics such as infection, prevention and control of diseases like cholera.

The performances were not just entertaining but also deeply educational, reflecting the transformative impact of the training. This newfound knowledge is expected to serve as a saving grace for the community, which initially lacked awareness of these vital health issues such as bilharzia, malaria control, hand hygiene and menstrual hygiene management.

The project’s success was made possible through the collaboration of several stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), Gokwe North Rural District Council, the Department of Social Development, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) and the District Water and Sanitation Sub-Committee (DWSSC), whose technical support was invaluable throughout the initiative.