Training community health volunteers: An innovative approach that builds sustainable capacity. MAMaZ

The UK aid funded Mobilising Access to Maternal Health Services in Zambia (MAMaZ) programme developed an innovative approach for training community health volunteers who were responsible for mobilising communities in support of a maternal and newborn health agenda. The approach was learner-centred and the teaching methodologies were problem-based and participatory. The approach utilised training methodologies that were conducive to adult learning, and which quickly built capacity to train others. The approach was low cost, and unlike other approaches, was not reliant on multiple training aids. This helped to lower replication costs. This technical brief provides an overview of the training innovations introduced by MAMaZ and the effect that the training had on the community health volunteers and district health staff trained by the programme. The brief also looks at the cost of the training, which was very low considering the very considerable health benefits.