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Health Sector: Extension Agents, Educators, and Community Advisers

HEALTH
Peace Corps Volunteers who serve in the Health sector work with clinics or develop education strategies to change the way host communities approach maternal, child and adolescent health, nutrition, hygiene, water and sanitation, or HIV/AIDS.

WHY HEALTH IS IMPORTANT
Specific segments of the world’s population disproportionately experience negative health outcomes, which ultimately decrease global productivity. Women suffer health risks, especially around pregnancy and labor. Children under 5 are vulnerable to malnutrition, infection, and early death. Adolescent girls remain at risk for HIV because of biological, social and behavioral factors. Health programming for youth should be comprehensive and address needs of young women and men by building on their strengths.

WHAT HEALTH VOLUNTEERS DO
Maternal, Newborn and Child Health
Health Volunteers work with communities to end preventable child and maternal deaths by co-facilitating:
• groups to promote comprehensive Antenatal Clinic visits among pregnant women to increase healthy pregnancy, safe delivery and healthy newborns
• groups of mothers and caregivers to keep children under 5 healthy through promotion of good nutrition, malaria prevention and improved hygiene practices
• trainings to build capacity of community health workers’ skills in behavior change communication

HIV/AIDS
Health Volunteers work to decrease HIV transmission by partnering with community members to co-facilitate:
• sexual reproductive health/HIV prevention education at youth camps and clubs
• sessions with health service providers, school staff, adult community members, and people affected by HIV to educate on HIV prevention, medical services, and stigma
• caregiving support groups for orphans and vulnerable children and caregivers
• building clinic staff capacity to improve supply chain management systems
 
Youth Health and Well-being
Health Volunteers support youth to effectively transition to healthy and productive adults by partnering with community members to co-facilitate:
• clubs, camps, and classroom curriculum, providing essential health information to youth 10-19 years of age
• trainings with groups to support youth health and well-being
• trainings with health workers and school-based staff to build capacity to facilitate health and life skills curricula

OUR IMPACT
In Fiscal Year 2018:
•13,358 individuals were reached with individual or small group education on how to keep children under 5 healthy
•150 Volunteers implemented activities that reached individual or small group education on essential maternal and newborn care
•Volunteers reached 159,589 individuals in priority population groups with comprehensive HIV prevention interventions

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WANT TO APPLY?
Search through Peace Corp’s current openings and apply to the one that best suits your skills and interest, or apply to where you’re needed most and we’ll select the positions that best matches your skills. View current opportunities at: https://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/volunteer-openings/?sectors=5

Connect with your local recruiter to learn more about service and the application at https://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/connect-with-a-recruiter/.