'We want to roll out e-learning through out all of Africa.'

Nzomo Mwita is a Technical Specialist (Training) with AMREF International. He is involved in the management of the AMREF Virtual Nursing School (AVNS). With this program AMREF aims at educating nurses from a distance. AVNS is part of AMREF e-Learning Program set-up in 2005. The Kenyan was in The Netherlands and we spoke to him.  

AMREF International wants to improve and upgrade the knowledge of 22.000 certified nurses in Kenya within 5 years. ‘We also want to roll out e-learning through out Africa.'

Innovation

AMREF International joins forces with the ministry of Health and the Nursing Council of Kenya to get the education program going. The financial and technical support is provided by Acenture, a company that specialises in ICT-applications.

At this moment over 5000 nurses have enrolled to take part in the upgrading of their knowledge. 590 have qualified for diploma level and 98 have graduated with a diploma certificate. The program applies innovative methods to educate the nurses. AMREF Netherlands applied successfully for support to the PSO innovation fund in 2007 to develop and experiment with these innovative methods.

What is innovation to you?

‘Innovation to me is improving something that already exists in a better way in order to maximize the quality and quantity of the results. For example, the population in Africa is increasing. For one to improve the quality of the knowledge of the nurses, one has to increase their numbers to cope with the growing population's needs and emerging health challenges, e.g. HIV and AIDS. At the end of the day, the aim is to improve health care delivery at community and health facility levels.'

What are the innovative methods you apply in your program?

‘We used to do the upgrading face-to-face. That meant that the nurses had to go to school for two years to master the material. But now, through e-learning (educating by using computers), we can educate them without the nurses having to leave their work. They can work and study at the same time. This therefore does not distract the health service delivery.'

Methodologies

The focus of the program is in Kenya, because it was the testing ground for the e-learning program. In the past, African countries tried to apply Western methods in Africa and failed miserably. By testing e-learning in Kenya, AMREF can later proceed with rolling out this method in Africa with lessons learnt in the African setting. It has a major advantage, says Mwita. AMREF comes in tell people what works and what doesn't work in Africa. They don't have to waste time trying to find it out for themselves.

What are the methodologies you apply in upgrading the knowledge of the nurses?

‘We use two methods. E-learning, that is to say web based and cd-roms. We give these out to nurses who work in rural areas where there is no internet connection. At this moment, we have 250 students who have registered for the e-learning upgrading program at AVNS.

We also use print based hand-outs. The nurses get these hand-outs and they go back to their hospitals with the information. At their workplaces, they get support from mentors we have trained. We give them computer skills training, but also what they need to know to help the nurses upgrade their knowledge and how to mentor.'

To be able to apply e-learning, one needs a computer. That is a basic requirement. How do you provide that?

‘We started out seeking one computer for five people. But now, we are aiming for one to one in the future. That is why we are looking for more computers. We also want some laptops, because with these, the nurses will be able to learn or do their assignments, while on duty.'

Future

What do you want to learn from (Northern) organisations like IICD, MCNV and Hivos?

‘What are their lessons in implementing e-learning? Maybe they can share their best practices with us. I will also like to learn how to develop follow-up courses for the nurses who have taken part in our program.'

Do you apply Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) methods to your program?

‘We follow-up specific situations to check whether the nurses benefited from our upgrading program or not. We try to find out what their difficulties were. We then try to solve the problems. We also talk to tutors, because we look for personal stories and most significant changes.

After all, the aim of our program is to improve the knowledge and skills of our nurses. And by doing so, improve our health service. We have seen significant improvement in our health care at the level of community and general nursing. The nurses work effectively and closely with the community. This has led to better community health services.'

What does the future hold for AMREF in Kenya?

‘We want to roll out e-learning in Africa. AMREF and PSO have to work together to make this happen. We also want to continue upgrading more nurse professionals in Kenya as test ground.'

Nzomo Mwita shares his vision on Civil Society in the South with us. Read his vision here.