Program Description
CMMB is an international NGO providing long-term, co-operative medical and development aid to communities affected by poverty and unequal access to healthcare. For over a century, CMMB has worked to strengthen and support communities through healthcare programs and initiatives, the distribution of medicines and medical supplies, and the placement of volunteers.
CMMB’s Volunteer Program addresses the critical need for professionals in areas that lack sufficient resources for quality preventive and curative health services, especially for women and children. Our Volunteer Program has placed thousands of practitioners around the world to help develop and implement community health interventions, work at local hospitals and health facilities, conduct clinical training for host country counterparts, and deliver essential medicines and supplies. The ultimate goal of CMMB's Volunteer Program is to support our country teams and local healthcare workers by sending volunteers that are dedicated to strengthening local health systems and supporting a pattern of sustainable development.
We believe in a world in which health and human dignity are shared by all.
We believe that access to quality healthcare is a basic human right. For more than 100 years, we have worked with global partners to deliver locally sustainable, quality healthcare solutions to women, children, and their communities. We’re ready to make it 100 more.
We believe change starts with her.
We work tirelessly for women’s and children’s health because they are disproportionately affected by illness and poverty. We know that healthy, educated, and empowered women are better able to raise healthy, educated, and confident children, and that communities depend on their livelihoods.
We believe in people.
We strive to live out our core values of collaboration, love, excellence, and respect every day. We provide our volunteers with a meaningful volunteer package, and the opportunities to learn, grow, and leave a longstanding legacy. We especially encourage all persons of diverse backgrounds to apply.
In 2018, CMMB:
- Assisted 74, 240 pregnant women
- Provided critical health and social services to 1,536,844 people
- Provided HIV services to 889, 155 people
- Provided critical health services to 206, 840 children
- Delivered medicines & medical supplies valued at $598 million to 34 countries
In 2018, CMMB Volunteer Program:
- Engaged 661 volunteers working in 17 countries
- Volunteers contributed 92,920 hours
About Kenya
CMMB Kenya has a strong track record of strengthening health systems and providing quality HIV prevention, care, treatment, and support services. CMMB Kenya’s experience in managing US government and private health awards goes back more than a decade.
Programs include:
- CHAMPS
- Domestic and international volunteers
- HIV prevention, care and treatment, including prevention of mother-to-child transmission
- Health systems strengthening
- Voluntary medical male circumcision
CMMB Kenya programs have built the capacity of local healthcare organizations to tackle not only HIV/AIDS but also other national health challenges. CMMB Kenya has a reputation for locally managed, high-quality HIV care and treatment, with low loss-to-follow-up and low mortality rates among clients. Program areas include HIV prevention, including prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV - with support from mentor mothers, and voluntary medical male circumcision, as well as HIV counseling and testing, screening for sexually transmitted infections, and behavior change communication. We also help build human resources for health and work to strengthen Kenyan health systems via direct assistance on health management information systems, finance, administration, and technical training for staff.
Key Facts
- Population : 49.7 million (Source: UN, 2015)
- Life Expectancy : 64 (Source: UN, 2010-2015)
- Maternal Mortality Rate : 510 per 100,000 (168th in the world) (Source: WHO, 2015)
- Under-5 Mortality Rate : 49 per 1,000 (149th in the world) (Source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, 2015 )
Country Office: Mutomo, Kenya
- The village of Mutomo is located in a semi-arid area of Kenya. Most of the 17,000 inhabitants are living under the official poverty level of $1.25 USD a day.
- Learn More: http://cmmb.org/champs-community/mutomo-kenya/
Projects:
- HIV Care and Treatment
- Building capacity of local healthcare organizations to tackle HIV/AIDS
- Learn More: http://cmmb.org/project/hiv-care-and-treatment/
- Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision
- Preventing HIV transmission in high-prevalence settings
- http://cmmb.org/project/voluntary-medical-male-circumcision/
Current Kenya Volunteer Opportunities:
General Requirements and Qualifications
Specific requirements vary by location and position.
- All international volunteers must be at least 21 years old
- Medical professionals must have licensures in good standing
- Min. Bachelor’s degree (except for some US based internships)
- Familiarity and interest in global health issues, especially maternal and child health
- Ability to perform in resource-limited working conditions
- Ability to work collaboratively and professionally while navigating cultural and language barriers
- Ability to be flexible and prioritize projects and tasks effectively; self-starter; takes initiative
- Problem solver, able to identify needs, and develop solutions
- Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills
- Adaptable and flexible
- Proficiency in English; strong communication skills
Term:
6 - 12 Months
Expenses & Conditions:
Each international volunteer who serves 6 months or longer in the field receives a round-trip ticket to their placement site, housing, a monthly stipend, insurance coverage, storytelling and fundraising training, and the opportunity to contribute to vital community development initiatives for under-served populations while building a longstanding legacy for the community. Volunteers are required to share stories from the field and cover part of the cost of their placement through fundraising/contributions ($5,000).
Covid-19 Update: Due to Covid-19, CMMB has paused all field deployments until 2021 as the countries we serve respond to this pandemic, and we are able to ensure the health and safety of our incoming field volunteers. Nonetheless, our commitment to support these communities remains, and we are eagerly waiting to be able to assist with the aftermath of this crisis when international travel is possible and safe. For more information please visit:
https://cmmb.org/get-involved/volunteer/covid-19-resources/
Contact & Application:
Apply online at: https://cmmb.org/get-involved/volunteer/
Email: volunteer@cmmb.org
Phone: 212-242-7757