TRAINING OF COMMUNITY ACTION GROUP MEMBERS ON COMMUNITY ACTION CYCLE AND COMMUNITY SCORE-CARDING AND FIRST BABY APPROACH SESSIONS.

Self Help and Development Everywhere (SHADE-SL) is partnership with Save The children International (SCI) are implementing a project titled Strengthening Health Systems Project with a main aim ofProviding Life-Saving Maternal, Newborn, and Child, Health and Nutrition Services’’ in Port Loko district with funding from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints.

The project constitutes the training of key community actors to help in the mobilization of women especially pregnant and lactating mothers to access the medical facilities. In doing so, the project took cognizance of specific trainings focused on equipping participants with knowledge and practical skills in the community action cycle and community score-carding processes. These tools are essential for strengthening community participation, accountability, project ownership, sustainability and collaborative problem-solving in local development initiatives. The training tends to build the capacity of Community Action Group (CAG) members on the principles and steps of the community action cycle, introduce and practice the community scorecard methodology as a participatory monitoring and evaluation tool, to enhance community involvement and ownership of development processes through structured engagement and to foster collaboration between community members, service providers and local stakeholders.

In totality, the training successfully empowered CAG members across five clusters with practical tools for participatory planning and collaboration. By applying the community action cycle and community score-carding interventions, communities are better positioned to identify priorities, engage healthcare workers and sustain collective action for improved local health development outcomes.

This article also provides an update on the ongoing implementation of awareness sessions on MNCHN rights and services, popularly referred to as the First Baby Approach. The initiative aims to empower communities particularly adolescent girls with knowledge about maternal and child health, nutrition, and rights to quality services. The sessions are designed to promote safe pregnancy, healthy delivery, and optimal care for newborns and young children. It also geared towards raising awareness among community adolescent girls on MNCHN rights and entitlements, promote the first baby approach by emphasizing the importance of care during the first pregnancy and early childhood, strengthen demand for quality maternal and child health services, encourage male involvement and community support for women and children’s health, and to foster accountability between first time adolescent mothers and pregnant adolescent girls.