Philosophy
Global Action Foundation, or GAF, models community-based healthcare delivery in rural Kono District, Sierra Leone. GAF operates its community-based programs in collaboration with the Ministry of Health to complement the national delivery strategy, especially for HIV-infected people, amputees, and children under-5.
Central to its operations is a primary care clinic, which offers high-quality, modern services like ultrasound diagnostics and serves about 40 patients each day. Since opening in January 2008, the clinic has treated over 20,000 community members and is opening an annex this year to expand its laboratory services and install the district's first x-ray machine.
Its community-based programs leverage anthropological and epidemiological approaches to engage communities and develop innovative models of care. 6 community health workers to serve the district's HIV population and engage local families on child health prevention. Since starting, community health workers have educated over 30,000 mothers and screened over 200,000 children for malnutrition. The amputee program incorporates all 9 local communities, and in addition to primary care, we offer services in mental health and chronic pain management. GAF evaluates its programs and disseminates results at conferences such as the International Conference on HIV Treatment Adherence.
GAF implements its work through a local organization that Dan Kelly and Bailor Barrie co-founded called Wellbody, Krio for "health." GAF is a 501c3 non-profit organization incorporated in Pennsylvania.
Long-term, GAF hopes to make its work sustainable by cohesively integrating its programs into the public sector. In the short-term, Dan has been trying to start a social business in Sierra Leone that provides poor palm oil farmers equitable access to local markets through a cooperative factory that will process their produce and share the profits.
We believe that victims of debilitating civil wars start each morning wondering how they will survive today. This is extreme poverty, meaning families spend their disposable income or savings to survive.
In Sierra Leone, the majority suffer from extreme poverty, but those with physical incapacitation struggle to survive more than the typical Sierra Leonean. Exacerbating this problem is the recent war and lack of government assistance. Amputated civilians face great challenges to development, including sustained healthcare and employment.
Our idea tackles extreme poverty in war-disabled communities because it addresses overarching and specific needs amputated civilians identified in our 2006 and 2008 surveys. Cultivating community success through affordable healthcare and sustainable businesses means more energy and wealth for victims to develop their family.
Victims of debilitating civil wars should start each morning wondering how they will develop, not how they will survive.
