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Formerly Minnesota International Health Volunteers
Improving the health of women, children and their communities around the world.
Community Health Workers
WellShare believes the key to providing effective community-based health education is to employ cultural liaisons, or community health workers (CHWs). CHWs live in the same community as the constituency they are serving. They serve as a bridge between the health care system and the distinct communities to which they also belong—providing their communities with information about health issues that affect them and linking individuals with the health and social services they need to achieve wellness.
When a community member decides to become a CHW, he or she brings with them the wisdom and expertise that can only come from sharing community challenges. WellShare then provides the training to give CHWs the tools they need to provide targeted, culturally suitable health education. Throughout WellShare's 30-year history in community health, the organization has trained over 4,000 CHWs to provide health-related education and services.
Are Community Health Workers really needed in Minnesota?
State demographers estimate that Minnesota’s minority population has grown by 113% in the period between 1990 and 2000. Many of the needs of Minnesota’s ethnic and minority populations (including refugees and immigrants and people with limited english proficiency) cannot be adequately met by mainstream health providers alone. Read more.
The MN Community Health Worker Peer Network provides valuable resource for community health workers
In 2005, WellShare created the Minnesota Community Health Workers’ Peer Network. Through this network, Minnesota’s community health workers (CHWs) can receive ob-the-job training, share information and resources with each other, and have a unified to advocate for the CHW profession at the state and national levels. Read more.
Tradtional Birth Attendants in Tanzania help women improve their health outcome
Benedicta Baha is a maternal advocate and traditional birth attendant in a small Tanzanian village of Kainam Rhotia. In small groups of five to 10 women, Benedicta helps young mothers to come together to learn about important health issues. Read more.
