About this role
Project Description
Are you looking to support community health initiatives while building your own skills and experience in public health? Come partner with health workers, teachers, women, and youth to improve health outcomes in a Guinean community.
Guinea faces high maternal and infant mortality rates. In 2022, about 553 mothers died for every 100,000 babies born. For newborns, 32 out of every 1,000 died, and for children under five, 96 out of every 1,000 died. With more than 70 percent of people in Guinea under the age of 30, opportunities abound to improve health outcomes for the next generation. Unfortunately, the country’s large youth population faces challenges such as low employment, limited educational opportunities for women and girls, and negative social pressures. Compounding these obstacles are poorly organized health facilities, a lack of resources, and insufficient training and support for providers, especially community health workers.
As a Public Health Educator, you will work with health facility staff and other community stakeholders to assess key health priorities, challenges, and facilitators. You will work with colleagues to design and implement activities to improve community health and build sustainable healthcare systems.
Required Skills
Associate degree in any field and at least two years of full-time, post-high school work experience (from any combination of roles).
OR
Bachelor's degree in any field.
OR
High school diploma or GED and four years of full-time, post-high school work (from any combination of roles).
Living Conditions
During training, you will live with a Guinean host family within close walking distance of the training center. You will have your own bedroom and share a living space. The host family will support you with many of the language and cultural skills and competencies you will need to live and work effectively in your community after training.
As a Volunteer, you will be provided with your own residence. Housing ranges from cement block houses with multiple rooms to large, traditional Guinean huts. Accommodation includes basic furniture, a bathroom, a cooking area, and access to clean, potable water.
Job Highlights
Learn French and local languages from skilled facilitators and build cultural integration and community assessment skills.
Gain experience in health systems development, health campaign coordination, networking, and social behavior change.
Develop lasting friendships through cultural exchange and community engagement.
Activities
Facilitate community health assessments.
Design, coordinate, and implement community health campaigns (e.g., vaccination campaigns).
Conduct home visits to households with pregnant women and new mothers.
Organize and co-facilitate community education sessions on various priority health topics (e.g., nutrition).
Support improvements in health data collection, analysis, interpretation, and use.
Facilitate youth club activities on health and life skills.
Educate families about malaria prevention and treatment and distribute mosquito nets.
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as soapmaking, waste management, English instruction, etc.
Training
As a Public Health Educator, you will be trained in community health assessment, project design and management, health campaign planning and implementation, and other technical skills. Peace Corps/Guinea will teach you French. You will also receive language resources and learn Soussou, Pulaar, or Malinka.
After nine weeks of pre-service training, you will move to a rural or semi-urban community where you will collaborate directly with staff at health centers, nearby health posts, secondary schools, and other community groups. You will work with the community to assess their needs and develop solutions based on their priorities, available community assets, and your personal expertise and areas of interest.