Community Health Facilitator
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Project Description
Volunteers work towards this goal by:
• Educating community members on behaviors and best practices that promote maternal, neonatal and children’s health;
• Teaching community members appropriate infant and young child feeding practices, including the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life;
• Raising awareness for the prevention of malaria, including promoting the use of insecticide treated bed nets;
• Promoting positive personal hygiene, including the construction and use of ‘Tippy Taps’ for proper hand washing with soap;
• Promoting Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH), including the improvement or construction of community water and sanitation systems
Peace Corps/The Gambia promotes gender awareness and girls’ education and empowerment. Volunteers will receive training on gender challenges in country and will have the opportunity to implement gender-related activities that are contextually appropriate. During service, Volunteers will look for ways to work with community members to promote gender-equitable norms and increase girls’ sense of agency.
As part of their work, Volunteers will monitor and report on their efforts and impact.
Peace Corps enjoys a long and positive history with The Gambia. The first Peace Corps Volunteers arrived in 1967, and since then over 1,800 Volunteers have worked with Gambian men and women to make a lasting impact on their communities.
Required Skills
• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any field
OR
• 5 years' professional work experience
Desired Skills
• Strong knowledge of a range of community health issues (Maternal, Child and Neonatal Health, Malaria, Nutrition, NCDs, WASH)
• Strong resiliency skills (i.e. some life experience showing ability to achieve in difficult circumstances, )
• Experience teaching life-skills and behavior change
Required Language Skills
Living Conditions
There are a few internet cafes in some of the larger towns, but access is slow, patchy and depends on unreliable electricity. There is internet access at the Peace Corps office near the capital, and in the transit houses on either side of the country. Communication between staff and Volunteers, as well as among Volunteers, is mainly by phone and text (you will receive a cell phone on arrival and will be able to call or text other Volunteers or staff without charge).
Many vegetarians have managed to maintain a healthy diet here. However, as the supply and range of vegetables in the country is limited, this can present challenges and requires some flexibility.
The Gambia is a small country. Contact between staff and Volunteers is high and this is well appreciated by the Volunteer community.
The Gambia has some restrictive laws that target certain sexual acts. Volunteers will need to be mindful of cultural norms and country-specific laws, and use their best judgment to determine how to approach topics related to sexual orientation and gender identity in their communities and the host country at large. Staff and currently serving Volunteers will address this topic during Pre-Service Training, and identify support mechanisms for incoming trainees and throughout a Volunteer’s service.
Learn more about the Volunteer experience in The Gambia: Get detailed information on culture, communications, housing, and safety — including crime statistics [PDF] — in order to make a well-informed decision about serving.
Couples Information
Community Gardening and Agroforestry Facilitator
Couples will live and serve together in a common site that might be in either a larger community or in a village where one would focus work in a neighboring village.
In the past, this arrangement has worked well especially when the going gets tough. Most couples serve in different sectors. They motivate each other and supplement each other’s work at their respective communities and have been model PCVs.
Medical Considerations in The Gambia
- The Gambia may not be able to support Volunteers with the following medical conditions: asthma, including mild or childhood; cardiology; dermatology; gastroenterology; some types of gynecologic support; insulin-dependent diabetes; mammography; requiring a psychiatrist for psychotropic medications support; seizure disorder; ongoing counseling.
- The following medication(s) are not permitted for legal or cultural reasons: Adderall, Ritalin and Vyvanse.
- Volunteers who should avoid the following food(s) may not be able to serve: gluten and peanuts
- After arrival in The Gambia, Peace Corps provides and applicants are required to have an annual flu shot, to take daily or weekly medication to prevent malaria, and to receive mandatory immunizations.
Before you apply, please review Medical Information for Applicants to learn about the clearance process and other health conditions that are difficult to accommodate in Peace Corps service.
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