Community Health Facilitator

The Gambia seeks individuals with a passion for public health to encourage the adoption of healthy behaviors and practices—is that you?

To improve the health and quality of life of citizens, The Gambia’s Ministry of Health is focused on promoting positive health-related practices using behavior change principles. The government wishes to focus particularly on the youth, women, and children in rural areas where access to health services is limited.

Through family home visits and larger workshops, you will enhance the community’s understanding of essential practices for a healthy pregnancy and newborn. You will promote malaria prevention methods, sanitation approaches, and gender-equitable norms in a culturally appropriate way. Your daily work and community engagement will also enhance intercultural understanding between Gambians and Americans.

Qualified candidates will have an expressed interest in working in the health sector and one or more of the following criteria:

Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any field
OR
5 years' professional work experience

Volunteers live in remote, rural communities with access to public transportation within 3 miles.

Gain valuable, hands-on experience supporting global health issues
Become a valued part of a host family and community
Experience the rich culture of The Gambia firsthand

How you and the community will make an impact together:

Train community members on practices that promote maternal, neonatal, and children’s health
Raise awareness on malaria prevention methods
Promote water and sanitation hygiene with the improvement or construction of community water and sanitation systems
Teach ways to prevent non-communicable diseases.
Strengthen youth life skills and awareness of youth-friendly services

You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as gender-empowerment clubs.

As a Community Health Facilitator, you will be trained to support The Gambia’s goals of ending preventable child and maternal deaths and supporting youths’ healthy transition to adulthood. Peace Corps/The Gambia will teach you Pularr, Mandinka, Wollof, Jola, and Serrahulleh to help you comfortably live in and connect with the community.

After 11 weeks of training, you will move to a rural community where you will collaborate with caregivers, families, healthcare workers, and teachers. You will work together to assess the local needs and develop solutions based on behavioral change principles.