In situations of extreme poverty, it is essential to offer inhabitants, and particularly women, who are often the most affected, the means to improve their living conditions through training and health care.

Over the last few years, several of our partners have set up medical/social centres with the help of ACTEC. These centres provide health care services and also offer vocational and general training to hundreds of women and young girls. Many programs are also offered in schools to teach both students and teachers the basics of everyday health and hygiene

Monkole: In the service of people

Public health is currently one of the most pressing problems of the Congolese capital. To remedy this poor health and training situation, the Congolese organisation CECFOR, a non-profit making organisation, has since 1990 been developing the Monkole medical centre and related health agencies and hygiene projects. The main activities of the centre are general and preventive medical services, health education and health promotion.

The partnership between ACTEC and CECFOR was first concentrated on the creation of local health posts. Sick people often had to travel long distances to benefit from health care. The construction of the first medical/social post, a branch of the Monkole centre called Eliba in the Kindele district, has solved this problem in this particular district. In addition to health care, there are courses in literacy, hygiene, nutrition, child care and sewing for local women. Other similar posts have been set up to cover the needs of other distant districts.

ACTEC also started a health education programme for teachers and medical checks for children. This programme is given to thousands of pupils every year based on the following three components:

• hygiene surveillance for school children
• teacher training as health educators in a school environment
• hygiene and health training courses for school children.