Health Promoters work on projects to develop strategies that address a wide range of health issues, ensuring communities receive essential health education and support.
They are a direct link to the community outside the walls of the hospital and play a vital role in ensuring that MSF projects are accessible and relevant to the communities they serve. From organising health awareness sessions and designing educational materials, to leading the implementation of health promotion and community engagement strategies and supervising teams on the ground.
This is a diverse and exciting role in support of our humanitarian and medical response involving some or all of the following:
Responsibilities:
- Implement health promotion and educational and informational activities to raise awareness among patients and the local community on relevant medical topics.
- Lead the implementation of the health promotion and community engagement strategy/work plan with community participation.
- Inform patients and communities about MSF and the services we provide.
- Supervise health promotion and community engagement activities and health promotion teams in communities or health facilities.
- Organise health awareness sessions for MSF staff.
- Support the design of health education materials and participatory methods.
- Contribute to rapid assessments, surveys, and community feedback collection.
- Organise community meetings and contribute to community mapping.
- Ensure availability and quality of data collection tools and encoding.
- Contribute to team evaluation, development plans, and training needs assessment.
- Provide regular supervision and on-the-job coaching to the health promotion team.
- Organise regular health promotion team meetings.
It gives me a lot of pleasure, after I’ve had a little chat with the women, when someone gives me a hug and says thank you for listening to me. This shows people that you can empathise with them, that you’re here for them, that you understand them.Marie Ange Saidy, health promoter in Lebanon
Depending on our activities and needs, your responsibilities may be adapted and evolve according to the specific projects.
You will not face these challenges alone; other MSF team members (both international and locally hired staff) will provide technical support, including comprehensive guidelines and protocols.
Requirements:
- Education in social sciences, social communication, nursing, or teaching.
- Bachelor's diploma in social sciences, social work, behavioural sciences, public health, community health, nursing (desirable).
- Previous experience in teaching, nursing, social work, or community mobilisation.
- At least two years of experience in health promotion and team management.
- Proficiency in local and programme languages.
- Computer literacy and basic competencies in Word and Excel.
Assets:
- Internal MSF training on health messages.
- Qualitative methodology experience.
- Strong IT skills (Excel, Word).
- Skills in participatory approaches.
- Strategic and analytical skills.