Inside SMART Africa

The Kenya Team has been hard at work preparing for their study implementation. The team has finalized their Memorandum of Understanding with their implementation partner, BasicNeeds-Kenya, and will start their training in MFG intervention in the next couple of weeks. The team has also identified the study research assistants and are in the process of […]

The SMART Africa-Uganda team has completed the 6-month assessments in the 10 control arm schools, which included interviews with a total of 756 guardians and 747 children. In addition, 16-week assessments are underway in four treatment arm schools with 261 guardian and 259 children interviews. The team is currently in the process of identifying and […]

The SMART Africa-Ghana team has been hard at work in the field to also launch their pilot study. The team completed the randomization of the schools into the different study arms: the control arm, the treatment arm facilitated by the school health education program coordinators (SHEPs), and the treatment arm facilitated by the parent peers. […]

The SMART Africa-Kenya team is currently preparing their MFG intervention implementation plan for their pilot study. The team hosted the Uganda and U.S. team members in December 2018 to be trained in MFG delivery. On January 7 and 8, 2019, the Kenya team visited the control and two treatment schools to provide a comprehensive description of […]

The SMART Africa-Uganda study, which is the scale-up site for the SMART Africa Center funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), has resumed the Multiple Family Group (MFG) intervention sessions after the holiday break. Interventions one through 14 of the Amaka Amasanyufu (Happy Families) manual have been conducted for all four treatment arm […]

In preparation for the income generating activities training  (for participants in the treatment arm), the Suubi4Her team organized a meeting with extension workers from different sub counties within the study region, which was held on November 7th. During this half-day meeting, extension workers were briefed on ICHAD’s work and mission, the Suubi4Her study and its […]

The SMART Africa-Ghana team have officially launched their pilot study in Tamale, after the team obtained an approval letter from the Tamale Metropolis Education Office to undertake the study in schools. The participating schools have signed the Executive Letter of Agreement. On November 29th, the SMART Africa team and BasicNeeds-Ghana co-hosted a meeting with parents […]

The Multiple Family Group (MFG) intervention for the SMART study is going well and four treatment schools have already completed eight of the 16 sessions. Wave 2 (8th week) assessments have also been completed for the guardians, their children as well as MFG facilitators (parent peers and community health workers). Group stakeholders including guardians, children, […]

To celebrate the end of a successful field visit as well as the recent marriages of Medress and Jacqueline the ICHAD team presented Dr. Fred Ssewamala and the other U.S. visitors with two cakes. The celebration included a large feast for the ICHAD team and music provided by “DJ Dr. Fred”. The U.S. visitors also […]

Kyaterekera Study Coordinator Joshua Kiyingi graduated with a Master of Statistics from Makerere University on January 16, 2019. Joshua joined ICHAD in January 2018 as a Data Manager for SMART Africa-Uganda and was quickly promoted to Study Coordinator for the Kyaterekera project. In addition to his Masters, Joshua holds a Bachelor’s degree in quantitative economics. […]

ICHAD/SMART Africa started 2019 with a bang, submitting two new R21 grant applications in the first three weeks of the year. Both focused on addressing HIV-related stigma in different contexts. To celebrate the team’s hard work and launch the beginning of a new semester, Dr. Fred Ssewamala hosted the entire ICHAD/SMART Africa at Salt + […]

Love was in the air this December as two SMART Africa Research Assistants got married. First, Medress Nansubuga wed Mr. Kateregga at Masaka Pentecostal Church on December 15, 2018. Jaqueline Nanteza wed Mr. Bbaale Simon at Kimanya Catholic Parish on December 29, 2018. Congratulations to Medress and Jaqueline! The ICHAD team wishes you success and […]