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News > Final Report 08 > Part 2
4.0 Progress made against project Objectives
4.1 Project Implementation Methodology
The project implementation methodology employed by the YMCA for this project was instrumental in reaching many pregnant women and children and in identifying further intervention areas.
The methodology was that beneficiaries were identified and registered in each of the eleven villages and later diagnosed and drugs administered by the community health officer and the maternity Child Health Aides. Much emphasis was laid on health education as a preventive means to their illness.
4.2 Engagement of Staff
Three professional staff (1 Community Health officer and two Maternal Child Health Aides), one driver and two Volunteers from the YMCA were employed for the entire Period of the Project.
All Six staff (three Male and three Female) members signed an annual contract with the YMCA and worked very hard to make sure that the entire work was done meticulously in accordance with professional codes of conduct and that lives were not only saved but thought how to take care of their environments.
4.3 Dispensing of drugs & treatment of patients
Across the eleven villages the project reached and served a total of 100 pregnant women and 823 children, thus exceeding the target of children by 300%.Through this project 47 Boys and 53 girls were born through safe delivery. Of this number 45% were delivered by YMCA staff, whilst 47% were done by Traditional Birth Attendants and six were refereed whilst 2 had very serious complications. There was no still birth.
4.4 Christian Education
Christian education was delivered to a total number of 1,600 of which 100 pregnant women and 750 children as direct beneficiaries and 750 indirect beneficiaries in the Kori Chiefdom within the project period. Emphasis was laid on sharing the word of God from the bible and also letting them understand that healing comes from God hence they should have faith and trust that God will heal and provide their needs.
This activity was carried out before the medical health education starts. It was done on every day of the project work.
Through this activity about 30% of those who were not Christians decided to accept Christ and continue in the Christian faith.
4.5 Diseases treated during the project activities
- Malaria - 80%
- Malnutrition - 40%
- Scabies - 45%
- Worms - 40%
- Diarrhoea - 75%
- Anemia - 30%
It could be seen clearly that the most dominant disease is that of Malaria and Diarrhoea partly because of the poor sanitation activities in their communities.
4.6 Distribution of Rice
The distributions of Rice to families that have either sick children or pregnant women had been an added component to the project. Each patient as per household size gets about 6-12 cups of rice as a supplement to enable them have meals before taking their medication. This venture is a laudable one more so in an era of Global price increase in staple and other food stuffs. A total of 40 bags of rice were distributed to patients. The activity will have to stop on the proviso that most villages would have harvested their rice which they can use to feed their families.
4.7 Environmental Sanitation
Educating beneficiaries on good health and sanitation practices forms the start of the entire exercise. Patients are educated on cleaning their envrionment, their houses and even the water they drink must be treated before consumption. General cleanliness of their cloths and bodies forms part of the education.
With continuous education, there has been a marked reduction in the rate of diseases like Malaria (From 98% - 80%) and Diarroehea (From 90-75%).
4.8 Capacity of YMCA Branches to manage and sustain project
The capacity of the two branches were built as they jointly implemented the project. Infact, base on the implementation of this project, YMCA Aberdeen branch was able to develop a proposal for their branch on chair rentals. Through the implementation of this project, the Sierra Leone YMCA is now a member of the National Health Task Force of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation.
4.9 Additional Achievements
- There is a positive image of YMCA as a reputable organization with a lot of initiatives. This compliment is against the background of community experiences with unsuccessful stories of other medical programmes in the country;
- Attracting new members into the YMCA. This is a positive achievement in that it fulfills one of YMCA’s activities of membership drive;