Community Health Volunteer's Training Manual - Population Council

Module 3 The Work of the Health Committee
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Box 3.3.3: Scenario Two Well planned meeting
In this role play, the chairman of the VHC, his secretary, and the other committee members
meet at their two weekly debriefing sessions. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss
the progress of the health of the community. The CHV informs them about the recent
low patronage of ITNs and the steady increase in malaria fever among the children in the
community. The VHC decides to organise a community meeting to share this information
and decide on strategies to intensify the sale of ITNs.
At the meeting the chairman and his team read their previous minutes and discuss salient
issues and outstanding actions to be taken. They then plan and agree on the agenda for
the meeting, which is to take place in fourteen days. This is written down by the secretary.
The date, time, duration, and venue for the community meeting are agreed upon. They also
agree on when to arrange for the gong-gong to be beaten and how many times it should
be beaten.
The CHV is asked to contact the CHO to supply ITNs to be sold after the meeting and also
to organise the women’s group leaders to designate those who will sell the nets.
Topic 2 Managing and accounting for resources
Managing and accounting for community resources
Resources are stock of supplies and assets. These can be classified as materials, money,
people and minutes or time needed for a particular purpose. In planning to undertake any
meaningful activity, you would need to identify the resources that you need. Then, you
assess the resources that are readily available in the community before you look outside for
these.
When, for instance, there is the need to organise a community durbar for a health
promotional activity, the volunteer plans with people to ensure success.
Various assignments would be given to identified groups or individuals. Some of the
assignments would be to locate and prepare the venue for the durbar. Others would
undertake chores like sweeping, arranging chairs and sitting arrangements, preparing
refreshments and serving. These people form the human resource.
When there is the need to serve refreshments after the durbar, money would be required to
purchase the items. Items like posters, visual aids, samples of promotional items for health
e.g. insecticide treated nets (ITNs), iodated salt, etc. for display, are referred to as material
resources.
Again, the date and time for the function are resources that should be properly planned to
suit all of the key people. It is important that the CHV keeps proper records of all resources
of money and materials that he is given to prepare for the meeting. After the meeting, the
CHV assesses his records and properly accounts to the VHC and the CHO all the moneys
and materials that he might have been given.