THE HEALTH PROGRAMME

Overview

The goal (or strategic objective) of the Youth Development Programme is to facilitate the development of young people and their structures and ensure that these address the rights and needs of young people.

The long term-outcomes which this programme is working towards are:

  • A reduction in teenage pregnancy, HIV infections and gender base violence in/amongst youth
  • A generation of young people who are hopeful and have plans for their future;
  • Have self-agency and make considered choices; and
  • Are contributing positively to their communities
  • An economy that offers inclusive participation to young people

The programme targets youth (16 – 35) who are both in and out of school and as such the programme is designed to be facilitated both in and out of schools. Within schools, the Sinani CDF liaises with the Department of Education Learner Support person, or other relevant staff member, to facilitate the delivery of the SFA programme and its related series of events – drama, poetry, creative writing, debating and dialogue.  For our of school youth and for in-school youth where entry to the school has not yet been permitted, the young people are systematically engaged with off the school premises.

Personal development is the first step within the youth programme. A modular, year-long course has been designed. The process is intensive, looking at psychological and emotional aspects using the SFA with ongoing psychosocial support.  This self-care work on the individual then cascades in more collective work. The youth form groups with a leadership structure, a designated meeting place and a written mandate for their work.  The groups help to run community events involving other community members and structures which give voice to their work, create opportunities for dialogue and seek to create linkages within the community.

Developing and supporting Community Health and development Activists

Sinani offers this programme over a period of six-month programme to 25 selected community health activists in five Districts of KwaZulu-Natal. It is our contribution to building people’s organisations and community solidarity to fight ill health. At the heart of the programme is our unadulterated believe in participatory development and the relevance of values that underpinned how participation and ownership was built in the pre-project-based approaches.

25 Community Activists are recruited and undergo intensive four-day residential programme with follow up support and community work over a period of six months. The programme provides participants with an opportunity to deepen their knowledge, skills, and attitudes to act with their communities to bring about change. It is an opportunity for communities to truly contribute to a just society which we think can only be realised if we:

  • Improve our communication.
  • Learn to listen and express our insights.
  • Diagnose together our needs.
  • Analyse the causes of our problems.
  • And plan and act together in teams, organisations, and social movements.

Above skills underpins what the training aims at building amongst the activists that will participate.

Participants on this programme will get an opportunity to build solidarity within the district and across all 5 selected KZN Districts as they address local issues and contribute to provincial and national advocacy to ensure that State and other actors do act to make SA Constitutions, laws, and policies a reality for many.

Supporting the struggle of CHWs and CCGs in KZN

Sinani’s approach and bias towards working at community level dates back to our formation. Building the capacity of families and communities to fight prevent ill-health and the spread of HIV, reduce violence, deal with trauma and fight poverty is what got Sinani to support and build a strong community-based groups including building the capacity of Community Health Care Workers and Community Care Givers (CHWs and CCGs).

Our support to CHWs at different levels including building their self-esteem and self-confidence, increase of professional knowledge and competences as CHWs and encouraging them to organise themselves as a critical part of the Health care system in the country.

The unfair treatment they received from their employer, the SA Department of Health continued to be the theme of reflections, trainings and debriefs that Sinani undertook with CHWs. This issue was first articulated clearly at a KZN Summit held in Durban Botanic Gardens in January 2019.

The summit mandated a 20 strong delegation to represent KZN CHWs at a national summit that was held from the 27th of February to the 1st of March 2019 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. The summit adopted the resolutions (insert a link to the resolution doc) that have since became the rallying points of the struggle for recognition and dignity of CHWs and CCGs in Kwazulu-Natal.