We design and implement community education and social enterprise initiatives with a network of local partners.
Our Approach
Listen
Our focus areas are community-driven, based on local needs, concerns and/or desires.
Partner
Our solutions are developed with a network of multidisciplinary partners to maximize the impact of our work.
Train
Our team shares best practices and cross-cultural knowledge, providing diverse research and field work experiences to the next generation of global health leaders.
Learn & Sustain
Our methodology is rooted in local leadership and sustainability, with continued monitoring and evaluation, data analysis, and open communication.
Our Solutions
Malaria Prevention
The Malaria Awareness Program (MAP) provides training and resources for community health workers to lead educational workshops about malaria prevention and treatment in high-risk regions. MAP involves an intensive community health worker training program followed by a multi-week series of interactive educational workshops, which take place at the traditional leaders’ home in various villages. Details in our publication here.
Local Leadership
Led by Community Health Workers and Malaria Control representatives in their native languages.
Evidence Based
Content and methodology rooted in WHO guidance and local content, updated annually based on data.
Interactive
Social Enterprises for Health Protection
We offer South-African made health protection to local and commercial markets. Sewing cooperatives receive training to address public health challenges and support economic empowerment. From 2013-2016, cooperatives designed and sold mosquito bed nets to decrease malaria risk. In 2020, efforts shifted to face mask creation to help with the local distribution of PPE during COVID-19.
Knowledge to Action
Partner with existing programs to make prevention tools more readily accessible and tailored to local needs.
Skill Building
Provide training in technical skills (e.g., sewing techniques), business operations/management, machine troubleshooting.
Economic Empowerment
Create financial opportunities for local businesses through the production of preventative health products, such as PPE.
Women’s Health
In 2019 and 2020, One Sun Health used IDEO’s Design Thinking methodology to evaluate existing initiatives and learn from the community about current concerns. Women’s health was identified as an area of opportunity to develop new community-driven programing. More to come soon!
Observational Learning
Shadow Community Health Workers conducting routine door-to-door home visits to better understand local health challenges.
Community Engagement
Engage community in brainstorming and co-design sessions to identify primary areas of opportunity.
Ideation and Iteration
Synthesize ideas and themes to begin to develop rapid prototypes.
Where We Work
Our work is concentrated in the northeastern regions of rural South Africa.
