Development Initiatives International
WOMAP - Women Vendors Malaria Prevention Project
WOMAP is an intervention that was designed to enhance the capacity of women working in the informal sector to prevent malaria transmission and manage malaria attacks among themselves, their families and PLHIV.
What does WOMAP aim at achieving
To contribute towards improved health status for women market vendors
This goal was elected after a baseline survey carried out by DII indicated that malaria among other diseases is a great challenge to women in market places. Women reported frequent episodes of malaria attack of about once in a month and further explained that one single malaria attack would mean being absent from work for at least four days, thus causing a great loss to their earning.
Project Methodology
In the course of implementing the WOMAP project, peer educators were trained and emphasis put on each of them reaching out to at least 5 women in a month. These Peer Educators are vendors working within the markets and serving fellow vendors. Individual Peer Educators hold a one-on-one session or at times group sessions on malaria sensitization.
Use of the Vendors Voice (radio facilities installed within the markets), talk shows on malaria prevention and case management. The trained Peer Educators organize radio programmes and the listeners (both vendors and their customers) are in position to participate in the topics discussed by calling in to ask questions or get clarification in areas unclear to them.
Distribution of mosquito nets is done by the Peer Educators. These usually have a written list of the eligible beneficiaries of the project, as per the WOMAP set standard
Womap achievements
- 52 WOMAP peer educators sensitizing communities about malaria prevention, testing and treatment
- Over 3,000 insecticide treated mosquito bed nets (ITNs) distributed to PLHIV, pregnant women and OVC in St. Balikuddembe, Park Yard, Nakawa and Nakasero markets.
- A total of 2,000 vendors in Parkyard were sensitized, 7,000 in Nakasero, 3,000 in Nakawa and 30,000 St.Balikuddembe were equipped with knowledge on various malaria preventive and treatment measures by the peer educators.
- A total of 4 vendor’s voice radio programs have been conducted this quarter and through which an estimate of 42,000 vendors (women and their beneficiaries) are reported to have been sensitized.
