Johanna Satekge: Why You Should Never Give Up

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The Proof Is In the Programme

	…in Healthcare Facilities: mothers2mothers (m2m) directly implements programmes at almost 400 clinical sites in six countries throughout sub-Saharan Africa. As frontline healthcare workers, Mentor Mothers work side by side doctors and nurses in clinics. Since 2001, m2m has provided education, empowerment, and support to more than 1.2 million pregnant women and new mothers living with HIV.
	…in Communities: In Uganda and Malawi, Mentor Mothers are transitioning from operating solely within facilities to working within communities and villages. From there, they can identify and reach at-risk women and families, and encourage them to visit the clinical facility for essential medical care and treatment. Retention in care is key to achieving positive health outcomes and supporting adherence.
	…through Capacity Building: m2m is continuing to scale up its reach by providing technical assistance and capacity building to Local Implementing Partners and Ministries of Health in Kenya and South Africa. Through these collaborative efforts, the Mentor Mother Model can be integrated into national health systems, making it more sustainable. Over the long term, Mentor Mothers will reach greater numbers of pregnant women and new mothers with essential health education and mentoring support services.
	…by Enhancing Our Services: While Mentor Mothers continue to focus primarily on the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, m2m is also enhancing the scope of our work to promote the health of mothers and babies. Our Enhanced Programme Model (EPM) addresses broader areas of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH), supporting clients and their families to improve their overall health. In countries where the care and treatment services are available, Mentor Mothers are currently being equipped with the technical knowledge and skills to offer education, support, and referrals on a wide range of health issues important to our clients, including: TB screen, testing, treatment, and prevention Cervical cancer screening, prevention, and referrals Malaria prevention and treatment Nutrition, including micronutrient supplements, child growth charts, the use of mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) measurements to screen for malnutrition Reproductive health and family planning Neonatal male circumcision Gender-based violence
	…by Supporting HIV-Negative Women: Achieving an HIV-free generation can only happen by ensuring that those most at risk for acquiring HIV do not become infected. Mentor Mothers are increasingly interacting with HIV-negative pregnant women at healthcare facilities. As pregnancy is a time of great risk for new infection, m2m is formalising an education and support component especially designed to keep women HIV-free and healthy.
	…through Client Follow Up: In 2012, m2m rolled out our innovative Active Client Follow Up (ACFU) program to all sites, a performance initiative that trains m2m site staff to use phone calls, short message service (SMS) texts and home visits to track and follow up with clients who miss key appointments and encourage them to adhere to treatment.
	…by Analysing Our Results: m2m places great emphasis on Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) to better assess and improve the quality of its services. In 2012, m2m implemented Strengthening Outcomes by Analysing Results (SOAR), a quality improvement programme designed to build the capacity of and empower Site Coordinators to collect and analyse their own data. The result is higher quality data, faster modification to services, and ultimately, better results.