Participatory

SHF’s projects emphasize local participation and empowerment. 

SHF encourages community members to participate in every phase of the project’s implementation—from planning and construction to management and maintenance. Local participation fosters a sense of ownership by the community—adults and children alike—that in turn increases the likelihood that the benefits of new healthcare services will be sustained in the long-term. 

To ensure that projects truly address the needs of local people, SHF conducts participatory needs assessments, including interviews, focus group discussions and community-wide meetings. SHF recognizes that local authorities also play an important role in coordinating health projects in their jurisdictions. Their active participation is, therefore, solicited so to ensure that projects carried out by SHF are properly integrated into local development plans.

Data collation and analysis forms part of the process we use to gather information about our communities so that the project we embark upon are community led and owned by the community.