care groups

Care Groups is a system of clustering 8-10 village households that have mothers and children under 5. The framework is evidence-based and currently facilitated in 25 developing countries. Since 2019 Living Child has introduced Care Groups to PNG with great success. We have piloted the project in two villages, educating the women about hand hygiene, good nutrition and general house and community cleanliness. Significant behaviour change was noted within 3 months with reports of NO childhood diarrhoea ascribed to handwashing, few mosquitoes and malaria sickness due to keeping the village clean, and happier mothers because they now had nutritious gardens next to their households and were enjoying preparing healthier meals for their families. Neighbouring villages are requesting Care Groups. In November 2021 Living Child was given a Best Practice award from WHO Pacific.

 
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care group Volunteer

A Care Group Volunteer is assigned to each cluster of households. This volunteer gives simple health training to the families in that cluster twice a month, and gathers important vital statistics: who lives in the house, how many children under 5, any pregnant women, how many children have been vaccinated. She reports to a Team Leader.

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Team Leader

A Care Group Team Leader oversees 10 - 20 Care Group Volunteers. She meets up with her volunteers once a month to help prepare them for the next simple health lesson. She facilitates discussion about the lesson, collects vital statistics and provides opportunity to problem-solve any challenges. She reports to the Care Group Project Manager based in Perth via WhatsApp when in a phone area.

Donations to Living Child go towards developing training materials and transport costs for the volunteers, printing culturally appropriate teaching flip charts and recording audio aids to assist the volunteers in the process of learning and understanding. The support for one volunteer costs $350 for a year.

 
 

equipment

 
 

quality equipment for health facilities providing Maternal & newborn care

Living Child is partnering with the East Sepik Provincial Health Authority to help improve the quality of Maternal and Newborn Services in the Province. We are committed to providing basic medical equipment so that health staff can provide a quality service.

Basic essential equipment such as:

  • Solar lighting and power

  • Blood Pressure machines and stethoscopes

  • Fetal dopplers, Beds, and Stainless steel instruments

We continue to purchase equipment as funds are available, from in-country providers where possible.