Philani was established in 1979 by a Swedish doctor in the ‘informal’ settlements on the outskirts of Cape Town to rehabilitate malnourished children and provide information and support to
pregnant and new mothers. Since then Philani has grown and now offers services throughout Khayelitsha and Cape Town, as well as in the Eastern Cape. The model is also being implemented in Ethiopia and Swaziland.
This programme is centered around the idea that communities are best placed to solve their own problems, and that women within these communities, who have children that are thriving, are best placed to be trained to deliver services to others. Identifying sustainable and effective strategies to improve maternal and child outcomes is a high priority in low and middle income countries (LMICs). Often intervention strategies address only one health risk at a time or begin when children are older. Intervening later is more costly with less return on investment.
To visit the Philani website, click here.
