Welcome - East Africa (Mesh-Projects)

Systematic review of community engagement approach in research: describing partnership approaches, challenges and benefits

A systematic review of community engagement with health research.

From Classroom to Research: Primary school students as Citizen Scientists in Health research in Sudan

Perspectives of African stakeholders on gene drives for malaria control

School students take a Virtual Reality tour of the KEMRI-Wellcome Research Programme laboratories

Webinar: Community Engagement within Research Uptake - Maternal and Child Health

This webinar held in December 2021 explored the role of community engagement within the process of applying research to changes in health policy and practice, focusing on maternal and child health. 

Project Report: Using ‘Magnet Theatre’ to engage public audiences with health research in coastal Kenya

This project reflection from KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kenya explains how they used Magnet Theatre to engage communities and what they learnt from the process

Project Report: Women in STEM: A science mentorship program to inspire young women and girls in Malawi

In this project in Malawi, funded by the DELTAS Africa CPE Seed Fund, young women and girls were mentored by successful female scientists to encourage, support and inspire them to take careers in science.

Project Report: The Sickle Cell Heroes Comic Book: the patient’s perspective in Kenya

Patients with sickle cell disease and their families often face challenges due to a lack of understanding and stigma related to the disease in their communities. In this project, funded by the DELTAS Africa CPE Seed Fund, a comic book of stories inspired by the experiences of children with SCD was made to raise awareness of SCD and the importance of research.

Project Report: The Sciback-skit programme: Engaging young people as malaria ambassadors in Kenya

In this project from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Kenya and funded by the DELTAS Africa CPE Seed Fund, high school students were educated about malaria and scientific research, to inspire them to become ambassadors in their communities, and to go on to have careers in science.

Published Literature: Rumours, Riots and the rejection of mass drug administration for the treatment of schistosomiasis in Morogoro, Tanzania

This article from 2016 in the Journal of Biosocial Science outlines the case of a mass drug administration programme in Tanzania which had to be suspened after community riots

Webinar: Engagement at a distance: Sharing lessons from experience

This interactive Mesh learning webinar held in September 2020 explored the possibilities for community engagement with health research when we cannot meet in person. Find the recording here

Project Report: Right to Food Project - In their Voices

“Right to Food Project” was implemented by the African Population and Health Research Center from 2018 to 2019 in urban Kenya. Different participatory visual methodologies were used to engage with the community members on the right to food. These included graffiti and wall murals, digital stories, photovoice, radio shows, human libraries, participatory educative theaters, open air events and community dialogue.

Report: I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!

I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here! is an online, student-led STEM engagement activity that has is run in the UK and internationally. Students log in, read six scientist’s profiles, ask them questions, take part in text based live chats and vote for the one they to win a cash prize. The project in Kenya is in partnership with the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme.

Webinar: Why is it important for health researchers to engage school students?

This webinar from Dr Alun Davies from KEMRI | Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kenya, outlines the goals, methods and outcomes of school engagement as a “win-win” engagement approach for both researchers and students

Literature: Who should decide about children’s and adolescents’ participation in health research?

This paper from BMC Medical Ethics explores how researchers and research centres can activtly involve children and young people in health research activities and in the development of research proposals. They used group discussions with community members and schools students in rural Kenya to explore views on the topic.

Report: KEMRI | Wellcome Trust Research Programme: School Engagement Programme

The KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme's School Engagement Programme (SEP) aims at promoting an interest in science and science related careers amoung students as well as promoting mutual understanding between members of the community and researchers. 

Project Report UPDATE: Science, Art, Community: Building Interactive Understanding of Albinism in Tanzania

Standing Voice is an organisation that works to support people with albinism in Tanzania. This article explores how one of their projects, which communicates facts about albinism through interactive performances, navigates the cultural complexity surrounding albinism in Tanzania.

Project Report: Evaluating engagement: Implications for gender and ethics in health systems research

In this article Sassy Molyneux, a participant of the Mesh evaluating engagement workshop (March 2017), reflects on the learning from the workshop, focusing on points useful for health policy and systems researchers with an interest in gender and ethics.