Community Engagements

Community Engagement includes all activities for public involvement in decision making, relationship and capacity building. Communities should be part of the process and there should be mutual benefit when designing community engagement activities.

Ekwendeni College acknowledges the third role as an institution of higher learning which is community service in addition to the two roles of teaching and learning and research. Ekwendeni College of Health Sciences exist to respond to the needs and problems of the communities within its proximity.

Stakeholders and Partnerships:

Community Engagement cannot be a success without working in partnerships. Ekwendeni College of Health Sciences is working in partnerships with Ekwendeni mission hospital, Local leaders, the council, community members, churches, Community Based Organisations and special groups just to mention a few.

Service Learning:

This is where students are engaged in community projects which have both learning goals and community service. This provides students with experiential learning opportunities as they apply course content to real world context where they develop community engagement skills.

Ekwendeni College of Health science is strategically positioned as it is embedded in its communities where students have opportunities for service learning. This is achieved through activities like; Community diagnosis, Occupational Health Nursing, School Health and Special group service. Through these opportunities, the college and students are able to conduct community sensitisation and awareness, health education on health issues affecting the community, and mass screening for common health problems in schools.

Community Service / Outreach:

This is where students and staff volunteer in the surrounding communities to provide different services. Some of the outreach activities include renovation of dilapidated houses, construction of descent houses for the vulnerable and the impoverished individuals in the communities, Provision of hospital accessories such as wheel chairs to persons with disability, sanitation services and materials.

Ekwendeni Health Week:

This aims at dedicating a week in a quarter for conducting Community awareness campaign and mass screening on non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes and cervical cancer.

Open day- This will allow the community to have an opportunity to be oriented to the College Infrastructure and programs with the aim of inspiring the young generation in surrounding schools to join the college as well as to instil sense of ownership and strengthen positive relationship with the surrounding communities. Ekwendeni College gives opportunities to the surrounding communities on this open day to appreciate its existence for proper support and collaboration.

HIV and AIDS and palliative care: This includes programs that target the youths with education on youth friendly services as well as sensitisation on STIs including HIV. Ekwendeni College exist not only to train health care workers but also impart knowledge to the community on health issues. It also makes referrals and follow-ups for palliative care patient within its communities.

For more Information: Kindly reach out to Lydia Mwale- Community Engagement strategist.