Empowering Communities: Littoral Health Actors Trained on the Care Group Approach

Souza, Cameroon 
In a major step toward strengthening community health systems, the Littoral Regional Delegation of Public Health, in partnership with PROVARESSC and support from GAVI under the FPP 5.0 project, successfully concluded a four-day regional workshop aimed at equipping key health actors with the knowledge and skills to implement the Care Group approach across the Littoral region.

Held in the town of Souza from October 14 to 17, 2025, the Training of Trainers (ToT) brought together representatives from several districts, including Bonassama, Bangue, Japoma, Boko, Dibombari, Edea, and Manoka. Participants included district medical officers, Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) focal points, community health supervisors, and civil society organizations (CSOs).

A Strategic Shift in Community Engagement

The Care Group model, an innovative and community-driven approach, empowers trained female volunteers to share health messages with their neighbors—creating a sustainable, peer-to-peer system for behavior change and service uptake. With proven impact in maternal and child health, nutrition, and immunization, the approach is now being scaled up as part of the FPP GAVI 5.0 strategy in Cameroon.

During the workshop, participants explored key components of the approach, including community diagnostics, the structuring and numbering of Care Groups, and behavior change communication techniques. Special emphasis was placed on the roles and responsibilities of Care Group actors—Coordinators, Supervisors, Promoters, and Volunteer Care Group members (VCGs).

Building Capacity Through Practical Training

Facilitators led a series of hands-on modules covering everything from supportive supervision using checklists to planning and conducting home visits, managing data through simplified registers, and analyzing performance scores to identify gaps and drive improvement.

Participants practiced calculating project performance using real case scenarios and learned how to use data from the List of Control for Quality Improvement (LCAQ) to improve the effectiveness of community activities.

"One of the most powerful lessons was understanding how to use data not just for reporting, but for decision-making at the community level," noted a participant from the Edea Health District.

Laying the Groundwork for Implementation

The final day of the workshop focused on operational planning and the upcoming contractualization process with CSOs, who will play a key role in the field-level implementation of Care Group activities. District and regional teams will jointly supervise activities to ensure alignment with national standards and to monitor results.

The training culminated in a set of actionable recommendations—calling for stronger supervision, contextual adaptation of activities, and continuous support for volunteers to keep motivation high.
Looking Ahead

With training now complete, districts are set to roll out Care Group activities from October 2025 through September 2026. Despite earlier delays, teams expressed confidence that the tools, knowledge, and coordination strategies put in place would allow for an effective launch and sustained impact.

The workshop was hailed as a success by participants and organizers alike, with calls for continuous mentorship, practical tools, and field-based support to ensure the model achieves its full potential.

    "We are no longer just health workers, we are community catalysts," said one district supervisor. "This training has equipped us to lead meaningful change, starting from the ground up."