Common Wealth of Learning hosted a one week workshop on health communities programs in Cape Town – South Africa in September 2011 ( 12 – 17). The workshop was organized with the aim of drawing partners from the four commonwealth regions to share experiences on Community Learning Programmes and draw an activity plan for 2012 – 2015 implementation years . The workshop was attended by representatives from Canada, Jamaica, Fiji, Solomon Island, France, India, South Africa, Cameroon, Seara Leone, Bangladesh, Tanzania, Mozambique, Kenya, Namibia and Malawi. The pictures below show part of the discussions and the entire squad during the workshop.

Members shared different experiences through presentations and discussions which included: use of mobile phones for communication and message sharing in community learning, e- learning, program matrix and message development, gender mainstreaming, case study on successful community learning program, tool kit development, monitoring and evaluation on community learning program and program sustainability. The discussion also focused on the planning of activities for the years 2012 to 2015.

The workshop was an eye opener on how to handle community learning program e.g. Phukusi La Moyo programme as it featured most on program production and management. The workshop has gave a clear picture that Phukusi La Moyo programme has a significant impact not only to Mchinji community as seen from communities demand on the programme and the evaluation at large but also has inspired the international community as it was a centre of reference in most issues shared during the workshop. Partners are willing to learn on how the program has been managed to motivate communities’ interest and participation.

All the experiences shared by partners during the workshop were gyred towards achieving health communities in intervention areas and how this can be ably absolved and put into practice by other partners across the regions