The MENTOR Initiative

The MENTOR Initiative is pleased to announce that Sérgio L. has been appointed as CEO effective from 3 October 2024, the organisation’s 22nd anniversary!   Sergio brings valuable experience, unique skills, and a deep commitment to the organisation's goals. His leadership will be vital as MENTOR navigates the challenges and opportunities ahead, ensuring continued support for those affected by conflict and natural disasters.   Sergio joined MENTOR in 2013 and has been managing public health programmes for more than 15 years covering areas such as malaria, Neglected Tropical Diseases, operational research and humanitarian responses throughout Africa, Asia and South America. He has held the post of Deputy Director since May 2023 and been working towards an efficient transition to the CEO position since.   Sergio holds a master’s in health and development from Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Lisbon and is finishing his second MSc in Epidemiology at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.   During his career, he has managed emergency responses to Cyclone Idai in Beira and armed conflict in northern Mozambique, communities displaced by conflict in southern Chad and several community health worker programmes in Guinea-Bissau, Angola, Mozambique, Chad, Cambodia and Venezuela.   He has also supported setting up large-scale Mass Drug Administration campaigns to control schistosomiasis, soil transmitted helminthiasis, lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis in Angola. He is actively engaged in operational research in the areas of surveillance, monitoring and evaluation, vector control and community health.   Sergio has authored several published peer reviewed articles and presented at key scientific meetings. He has been part of several technical working groups addressing surveillance, monitoring and evaluation, NTDs and vector control sharing knowledge and experience with colleagues from around the world who are united to eliminate diseases.   Sergio has dedicated his career to ensure high quality programme implementation focusing on continuous learning and improving efficiency. He shares MENTOR’s values to serve those who are most at risk of suffering and death, particularly those with limited access to health services and affected by conflict and natural disasters. He is married and has three children.   Outgoing CEO and new Chair of the Board, Richard Allan OBE, said: “With a proven track record of excellence and innovation in the humanitarian sector, Sergio is well positioned to guide MENTOR into the future. We are confident that under his leadership MENTOR will continue to thrive and expand its impact on the communities we serve.” #Leadership #CEO #humanitarian #change #beatNTDs #diseasecontrol #malaria

Severe flooding in northern Nigeria due to heavy rainfall has caused widespread destruction and the significant displacement of communities who are already impacted by a food and nutrition crisis, violence and insecurity. Infrastructure such as bridges and roads, and access to essential services such as hospitals, schools and markets have been affected by the floods. Large-scale evacuations have seen many people relocated to overcrowded Internally Displaced Person camps, further straining already limited resources. The MENTOR team based in Maiduguri are coordinating our emergency efforts to address the expected rise in the mosquito population as flood waters recede over the next few weeks. Without rapid interventions to protect those displaced by the flooding, most people will become infected by lethal infectious diseases. They are likely to suffer repeat malaria infections until the end of this year, as the rains sustain vast areas of open surface water in which mosquitoes breed. Conditions in crowded camps and poor sanitation also trigger outbreaks of cholera and other diarrheal infections. From previous experience responding to tsunamis, floods and cyclones, we know that without emergency prevention of malaria and access to rapid diagnosis and treatments, death rates from malaria alone are likely to sharply rise in the coming weeks. The second major threat to life in this crisis will be pneumonia, and it will shadow malaria infections. Improved access to diagnosis and treatment, on site and by referral to inpatient facilities will be vital to save lives from severe respiratory infections that will fill health facilities. Many of those infected with malaria will also suffer from pneumonia and need even greater medical care. Thirdly, diarrheal diseases such as cholera are a risk as flood water has already engulfed all the pit latrines and sewers in the area, mixing raw sewage with open surface water and contaminating all that is in contact with the flood water. With MENTOR’s unique experience and capacity in this area, an emergency team on site and the infrastructure to meet the urgent needs over the coming days and weeks, we are in position to effectively help prevent the suffering and death from these diseases. Photo: Maiduguri under water #Nigeria #floods #Borno #crisis #displaced #emergency #malaria #cholera

📣 Celebrating a milestone and leadership transition October 2024 is a significant anniversary for The MENTOR Initiative marking over two decades of healthcare and disease prevention reaching people most at risk of suffering and death. Our 22nd anniversary marks an important leadership transition as Dr Richard Allan OBE, who founded the organisation in 2002 and served as its CEO since, will be stepping down from his role as we embark on a new chapter. Richard remains dedicated to MENTOR and will become Chair of the Board of Directors succeeding Paul Jobson, who has provided invaluable leadership since 2011. We are deeply grateful for Paul’s commitment and the remarkable impact he has had on MENTOR over the years. His guidance has been instrumental in navigating the organisation through a period of tremendous growth and success. The Board of Directors have finalised the appointment of the new CEO and an announcement will follow shortly. Pictured: Richard Allan OBE and Paul Jobson #leadershipchange #newchair #change #anniversary #humanitarian

A critical association between malnutrition, season and malaria in regions of Central African Republic affected by conflict has been highlighted in a new paper published today in the BMC Medicine Journal. The MENTOR Initiative analysed data from community health workers, Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, and The World Bank Group meteorological data for eight subprefectures in the north-west between October 2015 and August 2021. Results from consultations with children aged between 6-59 months for malnutrition aligned with rates of severe malaria and the rainy season, providing evidence of the clear associations between malnutrition, season and malaria. The analysis is unique because it includes almost half a million children, making it the largest study of its kind to date. Ongoing conflict further increases the risks for people living in the region and creates difficulties reaching rural communities who are underserved by health services. Lead researcher Nicola Stambach, said: “This analysis provides invaluable insight into the need for nutritional support funding to be geographically targeted to meet varying levels of support required, particularly given the current decreased funding for Central African Republic. Networks of trained community health workers suitably equipped and supported for emergency contexts, offer real potential to integrate targeted nutritional support, together with essential diagnostic and treatment services for malaria and other life-threatening diseases where it is most needed. The nature of armed conflict has changed, creating long-term chronic humanitarian crises. The global humanitarian response must change too, with organisations working together to ensure a more coordinated response to reach and protect those they have committed to serve.” This work was supported by UK aid (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) and USAID - Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance. Read the article here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eCD5vhU6 #CentralAfricanRepublic #research #malnutrition #malaria #armedconflict #communities #communityhealthworkers #humanitarian

A chronic water supply deficit due to the lack of local sources and an arid climate is severely impacting communities, particularly children and adolescents in the public education system, in Nueva Esparta State, Venezuela. It’s estimated that 82% of the population has restricted access to water, significantly higher than the national average of 69%. Reflecting this regional trend, none of the 195 schools in the state provides safe drinking water or adequate sanitation facilities for teachers and students. This can cause common diseases such as diarrhoea and helminth infections among students, contributing to school absenteeism. To help address this growing crisis, MENTOR launched the "Margagüita, Water as a Source of Life" project in five educational institutions in Arismendi, Mariño, and Península de Macanao municipalities in July 2024, supported by COSUDE (Swiss Development Cooperation) This project aims to enhance water, sanitation and hygiene by installing water filtration systems, repairing sanitary infrastructure with dedicated areas for menstrual hygiene, and developing a training programmes for the educational community, including students, parents, teachers, and school staff. The goal is to reduce waterborne diseases, decrease school absenteeism, and promote a healthier environment for learning. By the end of the project, we aim to have: 💧 Installed functional water filtration systems in five schools. 💧 Restored sanitary units with menstrual hygiene facilities in five schools. 💧 Reach 3,132 children and adolescents through WASH improvements. 💧 In total, reached over 10,000 people. #Venezuela #water #hygiene #sanitation #schools #community #diseasecontrol #WASH #waterbornediseases #humanitarian

New mobile health teams are visiting 20 communities in the Chiure District of Cabo Delgado to deliver essential healthcare to remote areas underserved by health services and facilities. Most people living in these communities have been displaced by conflict in Cabo Delgado which has also caused the destruction and reduction of health facilities. The two mobile brigade teams are responsible for addressing the gap in healthcare amongst isolated populations with a focus on maternal and child health. Their priority will be a vaccination programme for all children (including for tuberculosis, measles and diphtheria), screening and treatment of malnutrition in children aged from 6 to 59 months, and the diagnosis, treatment and referral of complicated cases. MENTOR is supporting the mobile teams comprised of technicians specialising in preventive and general medicine, pharmacy, nutrition, maternal and child health, and mental health during the six-week programme. Abel Gastão, Preventive Medicine Officer, MENTOR mobile brigades programme, said: “The mobile brigades reach many people who would otherwise not have access to healthcare because they are too far away from health units. The mobile brigades increase the coverage of the health system, reducing the wait for vaccination and avoiding alternative and less recommended means of traditional treatment. Before any intervention in the community, MENTOR and the mobile brigade's technical team meet with the head of the community to help sensitise the community to join the health programme, but also to help understand the community's greatest needs.” The mobile brigades are supported by UNICEF Moçambique and the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and complement the malnutrition screening and treatment work that community health workers have been carrying out since July 2023. #Mozambique #malnutrition #healthcare #publichealth #communities #vaccinations #diseasecontrol #nutrition #childhealth #maternalhealth #humanitarian

The community in Begouladjé is growing groundnuts to self-finance their local health facility as a phase out approach of the UK aid-funded "Assistance to crisis-affected communities of the Central African Republic" project is implemented.    In the latter phase of the 14-year project, MENTOR worked with the community to raise awareness about financing primary healthcare services and moving to a sustainable model before its planned closure at the end of the year.   In Central African Republic, the health system is mainly supported by external actors and is designed to provide care to children under five years old and pregnant and breastfeeding women. Other groups need to pay for the services and medicines.   Fees paid by these groups must cover salaries, the maintenance of facilities and the medical supply chain, which often become too costly for the populations with low income. Solutions to cost-share have been discussed in several communities to improve access to healthcare for everyone.    In Begouladjé, the community management committee worked with local authorities to develop an agricultural initiative that will generate revenue to pay for medicines, health facility operational costs and transporting patients. A portion will also be allocated to buy seeds for the next planting season.    “We have the land, we are farmers and we have the seeds,” stated the president of the committee after all stakeholders agreed on the choice of growing groundnuts. Two fields were ploughed and sown at the start of the rainy season with all profits going to the local community.   The health facility in Begouladjé is on the border with Chad, 60 km away from Paoua, the district capital. Due to its remote location, the facility was hampered by a lack of medical supplies and personnel and was almost out of service when the project began in 2008.    Throughout the project MENTOR has supported the health facility through stocking the pharmacy, training staff, rehabilitating the facility, and ensuring free care for children under five-years old and pregnant and breastfeeding women.    By facilitating the transition to more sustainable development practices and away from purely humanitarian support, MENTOR is helping to meet the need for both types of work. In Central African Republic this is key to ensuring a robust and improved health service that serves everyone.   Caption: MENTOR Base Coordinator, Sosthene Safari (second from right) with the community management committee in front of one of the groundnut fields.   #CentralAfricanRepublic #humanitarian #sustainabledevelopment #community #healthcare #agriculture

MENTOR continues to work in northern Mozambique with children and communities displaced by armed conflict that began in 2017. With UNICEF Moçambique support we are helping to strengthen the activities of health technicians and community health workers who screen, treat or refer malnourished children in Cabo Delgado province. MENTOR's partner APDS - CD has also been carrying out important cookery demonstrations and raising awareness of good child nutrition practices with affected communities. More than 48,000 children have been screened for malnutrition and more than 15,000 children have received Vitamin A supplementation during the programme. #Mozambique #malnutrition #children #health #humanitarian #conflict #IDPs #communityhealthworkers

***New job*** MENTOR is recruiting for an exciting new role to manage an innovative programme in northwest Syria, leading the successful market introduction and scale-up of insect spatial repellent products within populations affected by vector-borne diseases. This role will build upon previous research and pilot initiatives to increase product adoption and evaluate its performance. The post holder will be responsible for developing effective strategies to ensure long-term community access, utilisation and the transition from a humanitarian distribution model to a sustainable market-based approach. Full details 👉 https://lnkd.in/e-szVtMD #Syria #newjob #jobopportunity #spatialrepellents #vectorbornediseases #diseasecontrol #vectorcontrol #consultancy #globalhealth #humanitarianjob

MENTOR recently repaired five water pumping stations in Internally Displaced Person camps around Bocaranga, Central African Republic, following flooding in the area which made the pumps unusable. Madéleine Yapounda, who lives in the community of Farawine, said: “The pump had been out of order since the heavy rains almost two months ago. There are no spare parts, and the pump is used non-stop every day because we only have one pump in our neighbourhood and the population has increased with more people coming from other areas to find safety. The population is very happy with the work done. For two months we had no access to drinking water and had to go to another district to draw water. This created a lot of tension with the locals, and it was not safe. Some of us ended up walking to Marigot 10km away to fetch water.” Supported by emergency funding from FCDO. #CentralAfricanRepublic #flooding #water #waterpumps #humanitarian #IDPs