Abstract
Both non-governmental organisations and governmental organisations are very involved in the development and implementation of community empowerment programmes (CEPs). Because of various health issues within the community, 10 CEPs were launched in Ladysmith with a focus on addressing the particular needs of HIV-affected and -infected members. Of the 10 programmes, however, only four were deemed sustainable after five years. The researcher explored the lived experiences of HIV community workers participating in two CEPs in Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal in order to develop recommendations for CEPs. Data were explored using a qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Ten participants who had been involved in HIV CEPs for more than six months were identified and individual interviews were held. Three themes emerged, namely, giving of yourself, maintaining sustainability and assisting the CEPs and community workers. Each of these themes also contained a number of subthemes. Exploring the lived experience of the community workers revealed that there are a number of ways in which to promote the sustainability of CEPs. The community should be involved in all aspects of the CEP and community workers must respect the community and their knowledge, experience and value systems.
Highlights
During the past 15 years, community empowerment has become an important point of focus in international funding for both government organisations (GOs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), with the emphasis on community empowerment programmes (CEPs) involving community workers (CWs) and health workers (Chan 2008; Hartwig, Humphries & Matebeni 2008).In 1994, South Africa committed itself to a Primary Health Care approach in its delivery of health services (African National Congress 1994)
In 2009, the AIDS Foundation of South Africa reported that the shortage of health professionals, resources and infrastructure had a negative impact with regard to reaching the Millennium Development Goal objectives, making it difficult to sustain optimal healthcare (Department of Health 2013)
The Millennium Development Goal targets could not be reached unless communities, NGOs and GOs united in setting up CEPs with funds that became available from both government and the private sector (Ncayiyana 2010)
Summary
During the past 15 years, community empowerment has become an important point of focus in international funding for both government organisations (GOs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), with the emphasis on community empowerment programmes (CEPs) involving community workers (CWs) and health workers (Chan 2008; Hartwig, Humphries & Matebeni 2008).In 1994, South Africa committed itself to a Primary Health Care approach in its delivery of health services (African National Congress 1994). In 2009, the AIDS Foundation of South Africa reported that the shortage of health professionals, resources and infrastructure had a negative impact with regard to reaching the Millennium Development Goal objectives, making it difficult to sustain optimal healthcare (Department of Health 2013). The Millennium Development Goal targets could not be reached unless communities, NGOs and GOs united in setting up CEPs with funds that became available from both government and the private sector (Ncayiyana 2010). Both non-governmental organisations and governmental organisations are very involved in the development and implementation of community empowerment programmes (CEPs). Of the 10 programmes, only four were deemed sustainable after five years
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