PROJECTS
The Sarraounia Trust offers long and short-term support to programmes addressing improved public health outcomes. We pilot and innovate programmes and provide research in partnership with other organisations. We have work experience in the public, private and NGO sectors and are familiar with donor and UN systems. We provide support to programmes both in and outside South Africa. Read about our work and the questions that guide our work.
South African Health Review 2021
Providing health services for farm workers during COVID-19: a case study of an NGO in a rural agricultural area
In 2020 we evaluated the early stages of a partial payment scheme for health services, for which employers make a regular contribution to the cost of services on behalf of their workers. Our study coincided with the COVID-19 lockdown beginning in March 2020. We documented how the health NGO, Hlokomela enabled a more effective COVID-19 response for employers, workers and their communities. Our findings were published in the 2021 South African Health Review.
Publication
Providing health services for farm workers during COVID-19: a case study of an NGO in a rural agricultural area
https://journals.co.za/doi/epdf/10.10520/ejc-healthr-v2021-n1-a25
Case studies of community experience of COVID-19 and vaccine hesitancy
What do communities need to be accepting of COVID-19 vaccines?
In 2021, the Vax-Scenes Research Project of the Sarraounia Trust, Health Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) explored experiences of COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines in four communities. Our research found vaccine hesitancy differed between communities and that the solutions to vaccine uptake were predominantly local.
Publications
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Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in South African Local Communities: The VaxScenes Study. https://www.mdpi.com/1516272
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Community-based Case Studies of Vaccine Hesitancy and the COVID-19 Response in South Africa: The VaxScenes Study. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.02.21.22271272
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Communicating uncertainty with integrity: the challenges of vaccine literacy. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-09-14-communicating-uncertainty-with-integrity-the-challenges-of-vaccine-literacy-and-vaccine-hesitancy/
The Wentworth Youth Health Africa-68 Impact Evaluation Study
Can young people in disadvantaged communities improve COVID-19 vaccine literacy?
In 2022 the Sarraounia Trust in partnership with the HSRC conducted an impact study of a 9-week COVID-19 vaccine literacy campaign in the community of Wentworth in eThekwini. Our study found young people had energy and enthusiasm and made a positive difference to vaccine behaviour in their community. At the close of the campaign more individuals reported being either fully vaccinated or having had at least one vaccine, as well as having improved trust in science, vaccines and the government vaccination programme.
Useful links
Wentworth Youth Community Project:
OVCY-III programme of the Department of Social Development
What are the challenges affecting livelihoods of orphaned and vulnerable children and youth (OVCY) aged 15 to 24 years in South African communities?
The Sarraounia Trust conducted a baseline study to inform activities of the Department of Social Development’s OVCY III & IV programme. The study documented existing social support services, educational and skills training opportunities as well as income/job opportunities in the selected communities. We also identified the gaps in local communities in providing these services, as well as the gaps in the provision of soft and hard skills needed by young people in order to access livelihood and further education and training opportunities to transition into early adulthood.
SANAC Adolescent and Young People (AYP) Risk Assessment Tool
How can health and community workers quickly find out what support young people need?
Many young people require support in order to transition successfully into adulthood. They may require support with finishing school, with advice about sexually transmitted infections, gender-based violence, abuse, mental health, drugs and alcohol. Without adequate support young people become increasingly vulnerable to HIV infection. The Sarraounia Trust redesigned the AYP Risk Tool to support frontline workers assess the needs of adolescents and young people on their first visit.
Training Needs Assessment for worker health and safety representatives on mines
What are the training gaps for worker health and safety representatives on mines?
In South Africa it is a legal requirement that workers select representatives from their own ranks to speak up about occupational health and safety. This is vital in the hazardous mine workplace. We conducted a training needs assessment for the Mine Health and Safety Council that showed representatives wer not fully informed about their powers and had inadequate communication skills for their role. We also provided evidence about the commonplace discrimination and bullying faced by workplace representatives.
UBOMI BUHLE Pregnancy Exposure Registry
Do women fully understand what they are consenting to during antenatal care visits?
The Sarraounia Trust worked on a project with the University of Cape Town’s School of Public Health to improve the existing MomConnect antenatal care (ANC) informed consent form. The consent script was translated from English into five South African languages (isiZulu, Setswana, Sesotho, isiXhosa and Afrikaans) and cognitively tested to assess women’s understanding of the consent script. The consent forms were revised to ensure greater clarity for mothers consenting to share their antenatal and postnatal data.
UNICEF Child Care and Protection Community Mobilisation Initiative
How do we start a national conversation to end violence against children?
This work closed gaps in the existing cross sectoral approach to ending violence against children. A new tool to provoke dialogue and advocacy at national and community levels was prepared and piloted by the Sarraounia Trust. Working closely with the Department of Social Development and the Commission for Gender Equality the tool will support the implementation of the fourth National Action Plan for Children.