Chamas for Change: Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Summary

In Kenya, the chamas strategy (a peer support approach aimed at improving MNCH and reducing gender and social inequalities) has been shown to significantly improve maternal and child health outcomes while also providing social and financial support to participating women. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions in women's work and MNCH services around the world due to reallocation of health care resources, COVID-19 fears, transportation restrictions, and lockdowns. These consequences appeared to disproportionately affect the poor, particularly poor women. The purpose of this participatory action design study is to determine how Chamas participation intersected with other factors to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and economic well-being of women and children.

Conditions

• Gender Equity

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Chamas cha MamaToto program

Chamas is a community health volunteer (CHV)-led group programme that engages women during pregnancy and the first 1000 days of their child's life. The strategy focuses on promoting maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) by providing health education, peer support, and opportunities to access financial capital, all while addressing inequities that perpetuate poor outcomes.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• International Development Research Centre, Canada

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• University of British Columbia

  collaborator OTHER

• Indiana University

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Toronto

  collaborator OTHER

• Moi University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Julia Songok · AMPATH Kenya

• Sammy Masibo · Trans Nzoia county government

• Michael Scanlon · Indiana University

• Laura Ruhl · Indiana University

• Julie Thorne · University of Toronto

• Violet Naanyu · Moi University

Eligibility

Min Age

15 Years

Max Age

50 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-03-14

Primary Completion

2024-03-13

Completion

2025-03-13

Countries

• Kenya

Study Locations