A mother's commitment to improving the health of her neighbors
It is eight o'clock in the morning in Bougouni, Mali, and Kadidia Diakité has arrived at a village to meet with community health actors. She has one goal in mind; to improve the health of children and mothers by helping households to better plan and manage their own health.
A 36-year-old mother of two, Kadidia began her professional career in 2017 as a Community Development Agent. In September 2020, she signed up with one of USAID's largest activities in Mali, Keneya Nieta. She chose USAID Keneya Nieta because its goals aligned with her aspirations: improving household and community health. “One of the goals of the project is to reduce maternal, newborn, and infant mortality. I have made this goal a personal challenge, both as a woman and as a mother,” says Kadidia.
Training and coaching for success
Kadidia received initial training on USAID Keneya Nieta’s community health approach and interventions that engage communities to improve maternal, newborn and child health; nutrition; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); gender; and health financing.
In February 2021, after taking up her duties in the Bougouni health district, she was excited to use her new skills in the 22 villages she covers. Kadidia began by introducing Keneya Nieta in her villages, building trust, and leading each community to identify and prioritize the main health problems they face.
Next, she mapped health status and resources in each village, and helped them to establish a functioning platform to improve community health. At least once a month, she visited the 22 villages to mentor community health platform members and to strengthen their skills in addressing local health issues in their communities.>
Kadidia was not alone in this work. She benefited from the assistance of her District Coordinator who has extensive experience in community health, coaching techniques, and social and behavioral change. According to Khadidia: "My skills are due to my former District Coordinator who trained, assisted, encouraged, and helped me from the onset, without getting discouraged, even for a moment. He is a teacher and a leader because he is always available to help the Community Development Agents he works with. I worked hard to learn the health approaches he introduced to the community. He is a real role model."
Her supervisor appreciates her courage, her passion for a job well done, and her openness to learning: "I remember Kadidia as a Community Development Agent who always shows initiative and has built strong technical and interpersonal skills over time."
Dedicated workers
Community Development Agents like Kadidia are needed in Mali. Available, courageous, and respectful, Kadidia has built trust with the communities in which she works and has supported "her villages" to improve their health outcomes. Community members have come to view Kadidia as a true expert on health promotion activities and village health solidarity funds. "In addition to coaching visits, I am frequently invited by the villages, including on weekends, to take part in activities such as nutritional demonstrations, malnutrition screening, sanitation days, committee meetings and the work of village health solidarity funds," she says.
An exceptional community
Community members are impressed with Kadidia’s proactive approach. She ensures that activities are on time and is the first one present at the activity site. Fousseyni Doumbia, the Mayor of Kokélé, one of the villages Kadidia supports, appreciates her dedication to positive change, stating: “We have reached this level of progress in the health sector thanks to Kadidia’s courage and willingness to change things." Ferima Camara, Kokélé village health committee member, concurs: "Although she is young, she has this great capacity to work just as well with young people as with old people, and always with the greatest courtesy and respect. It is like she has always been part of our village.”
USAID Keneya Nieta/URC