Village Health Team Training: Empowering Community Health Workers
Who are the Village Health Team Members?
Village Health Team members (VHTs) are volunteer, elected community members—deeply trusted neighbors who serve as the first point of contact for families across Gulu District. All 570 VHTs bring local knowledge and community trust to their role, but until recently, they lacked formal training in maternal and child health.
In 2025, that changed.
Training in Maternal and Child Health
In 2025, WOtW was selected as one of just nine recipients of the ICATCH (International Community Access to Child Health) grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics—chosen from over 300 applicants. This grant supports a three-year program to train Village Health Team members in maternal and child health.
By November 2025, 180 VHTs—approximately one per village—had completed an intensive two-day training. Guided by the “Wheel of Good Practices” curriculum, each VHT learned to educate families about healthy habits for every day, during pregnancy, and through a baby’s first two years.
The curriculum covers:
- Hygiene and sanitation
- Nutrition and breastfeeding
- Accessing formal health care at health facilities
- Antenatal care beginning in the first trimester
- Skilled attendance at delivery
- Post-natal care for mother and newborn
Goal of VHT Training
VHT training is designed to increase:
- Regular, early (first trimester) prenatal care, starting in the first trimester
- Facility-based deliveries over home deliveries
- Post-natal follow-up, infant immunizations, and growth monitoring
WOtW has invested in training skilled frontline health providers—but those skills only reach families when mothers know to seek care at the right time and in the right place. VHTs are the bridge.
The program runs through 2027. VHTs gather quarterly to share successes and troubleshoot challenges, with follow-up training days planned for 2026 and 2027 to reinforce and deepen their skills.
Impact and Feedback
Outcomes are tracked in partnership with Uganda’s Ministry of Health. Though the program is still in its early stages, the feedback from VHTs has been compelling.
VHTs report:
- Greater knowledge and confidence in maternal and child health
- Measurable shifts in health behaviors within their communities
- Successful, life-changing interventions with mothers and babies
VHTs also shared challenges: heavy workloads and long distances between families. Their ask was direct—please train more VHTs so we can reach more families and share the load.
WOtW heard them! We are actively pursuing additional funding to expand VHT training and reach even more families across Gulu District.
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Bring Health Knowledge to Every Village in Gulu
Your support helps train more Village Health Team members — reaching mothers and babies who need it most. Join us in expanding this vital program.
