Sharing for self-help

Community Action for Health

Good health is a basic right of all people, but achieving it is a complicated issue. Millions of Asians suffer unnecessarily because present health care systems do not meet their needs. Trained medical personnel are beyond most people's physical and financial reach.

For the poor of Asia, economic globalization in recent years has made survival even harder. Commercialization of health care has turned this basic need into a market commodity.

In fact, the majority of "diseases of poverty" can be cured or prevented through simple health care and decent living conditions, By working together to form self-reliant community organizations, marginalized people can take charge of and tackle their own problems, no longer dependent on outside experts and funds, and can advocate for the institutional changes they need to sustain better health and a better quality of life.

Training Activities

Forming and maintaining effective community health organizations requires leadership, the ability to motivate people to pool their resources, think and act together for self-help. AHI promotes such leadership among health and development workers thorough its traning courses and networking activities in Japan and other Asian countries, described below.

IN JAPAN:

International Leadership Development Course (ILDC)

This course is open to middle-level health workers. It applies participatory traning methodology to enhance leadership qualities among participants, who will subsequently take the initiative in developing their own organizations and promoting people's organizations. During the course, participants analyze health problems at macro and micro levels, acquire skills in participatory training, and formulate action plans before return to work. By focusing on community-based actions, the course also aims to stimulate a society where all people can actively participate in development.

Oriental Medicine Course (OMC)

This Intensive course is essentially an internship at a clinic near AHI and introduces modified forms of acupuncture. The techniques taught are effective, simple inexpensive and require little equipment or knowledge. As such, they can also contribute to health for and by the poor. The course is provided in conjunction with the ILDC. Participation is limited to community-based health professionals.

IN OTHER ASIAN COUNTRIES:

Regular Courses Offered by AHI's Counterpart Organizations

These courses respond to practical training needs based on local situations and cultures, and are conducted in local languages. As of 2001, they are offered in the Philippines and Cambodia.

Training Activities in Partnership with AHI Course Alumni

AHI supports initiatives by alumni groups in organizing participatory training in their own countries to meet the needs they see locally. As of 2001, programs are under way in Korea, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Building Networks

Through its networking activities and publications, AHI links organizations with similar interests and concerns. It particularly supports networking and mutual support initiatives among AHI Course Alumni by compiling an alumni directory, facilitating mutual field visits, and organizing international workshops and country-based reunion seminars.

International Workshop and Experience Sharing among Alumni and their Partners

AHI organizes short workshops on specific issues, in collaboration with alumni and their organizations, and incorporate intensive experience sharing and field visits. Development partners such as people's organizations (POs) and local government counterparts may be invited. Where necessary, workshops are conducted multilingually, with English as a common language, to facilitate wider networking among alumni NGOs, POs and local government.