Health Promotor

Namibia
Permanent
Full-time

1 month ago

Positions Available17DescriptionGoeie more, Walalapo, Mwa penduka. Muzuhile. Morokeni. Matisa. (Good morning in six languages).Are you passionate about making a tangible difference in people's lives? Do you want to be part of a community that's working together to combat one of the world's most pressing health challenges? Consider joining the Peace Corps in Namibia, where we've been working alongside local communities since Independence in 1990.The Community Health and HIV/AIDS Program (CHHAP) was created in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Namibia, which peaked in 2002 at 22%. Since then, rates have dropped to 12%. Despite the successes, HIV remains one of the main health challenges. While Namibia has made significant strides in reducing new annual infections, the number of people requiring treatment has increased. Ongoing health, education, and access to services, particularly for youth, remain a top priority. Namibia has developed a robust HIV response, largely supported by partners like the U.S. President's Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and as a result the country is nearing epidemic control. Despite the wins, there are notable gaps for certain population groups such as: youth, adolescent girls and young woman, boys and men. As a CHHAP Volunteer, you will be assigned to work with a government ministry, or a local organization where you will focus on supporting health and HIV response activities. Your goal is to contribute to the improvement of the health and wellbeing of Namibians.As a health Volunteer, you will work on supporting the care and treatment of People Living with HIV (PLHIV). You will:

Support groups of youth and people living with HIV to

stay on treatment

Co-facilitate sessions for People Living with HIV (PLHIV)

on nutrition, well-being, positive living, adherence to
antiretroviral therapy (ART), bereavement and
psychosocial support

Co-facilitate sessions to train health service providers

on topics such as promotion of treatment adherence
and retention; promotion of treatment as prevention,
promotion of positive living; referral to ART; promotion
of youth-friendly services related to PLHIV

Support staff to order, store and track commodities
Work with health staff to strengthen management

systems, reducing stockouts and ensuring a steady
supply of essential medicines and products

Educate, prevent, and refer on tuberculosis
Support homes visits with other health professionals
Support global health threats such as malaria and other

infectious diseases

Support the health of pregnant and breastfeeding

women

Create demand for activities/events for targeted HIV

testing with provision of or referral to HIV testing
services

Implement activities such as camps, clubs and health

sessions that aim to increase demand for health services
and prevention activities

Conduct health promotion education sessions in various

public health settings on a variety of topicsYou'll begin your journey with an intensive 10-week Pre-Service Training (PST) during which you'll live with a local family and develop the skills and knowledge you need:

Technical skills: project management, public health,

planning, and coordination.

Intercultural skills: understanding Namibia's diverse

cultural landscape to build strong relationships with local
communities.

Language skills: language skills to effectively

communicate with the people you serve.

Medical and safety training: to maintain your personal

health, safety, and security.Serving as a CHHAP Volunteer in Namibia will give you first-hand experience in project management, public health, planning and organization, intercultural communication, and monitoring and evaluation. It is a transformational experience both personally and professionally, for you and the people you serve.Request Type155 Health ExtensionPostNamibiaRequired SkillsQualified candidates will have an expressed interest in working in the health sector and one or more of the following criteria:

Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any field

5 years' professional work experience

Start Date24-Aug-2026Desired SkillsQualified applicants will have practical experience in at least two or more of the following areas:

Experience in public health with a focus on youth and

community groups

Coaching and mentoring skills
Presentation, facilitation and training skills
Demonstrated knowledge and understanding in

community and global health

Demonstrated leadership and community organization

skills

Experience with working with specific population groups

i.e. youth; people living with HIV (PLHIV), pregnant and
breastfeeding woman

Experience in Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

(MER)

Experience analyzing data
Strong oral and written communication skills

Living ConditionsNamibia is an incredibly beautiful and unique country with great weather, averaging 300 days of sunshine each year! You will arrive in winter, which is sunny but chilly, with nighttime temperatures occasionally dropping to 40 degrees. Temperatures rise steadily in October, followed by the rainy season in December. November to March is the hottest period, reaching over 90 degrees. Namibia is an arid country with a lack of surface water, low humidity, and dry heat.During Pre-Service Training (PST), you will live with a local family who will share Namibian culture and traditions, teach you how to manage village life, and practice speaking the local language with you.Your permanent living situation will depend on where you are assigned to work. Health Volunteers are commonly placed in urban or peri-urban centers and live in their own room/ apartment with modern amenities, such as a basic refrigerator, stove, shower, inside kitchen, etc., in a single room/ apartment on the Hospital grounds, or in a modest house with a shared kitchen and common areas. All houses have indoor plumbing and electricity though some communities have outages. Flexibility and adaptability are desired characteristics for any potential Volunteer, as is the ability to navigate personal health risks associated with shared housing and common areas.Namibian cuisine tends to be meat-heavy, often paired with carbohydrates. However, vegetarians can easily find options thanks to the abundance of fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, and eggs. Alcohol is commonly consumed, particularly during holidays or special events but if you don't drink or prefer not to, a polite decline is perfectly acceptable.Volunteers either walk or bike if the workplace is nearby and have been approved as safe for biking. For longer distances, they take minibuses or shared taxis.Namibia is predominantly Christian, and while generally open-minded, values and morals are more conservative than in the U.S. Staff and currently serving Volunteers will address this topic during Pre-Service Training and identify support mechanisms for incoming Trainees. For more information, please see the State Department's Travel Information page on Namibia: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Namibia.html/Namibia is exceedingly diverse with a complex history affecting its politics, economy, and society. Living and working in Namibia means navigating extreme economic disparity, especially around race and ethnicity. Peace Corps will assist Trainees understand and navigate these situations.Volunteers who are of an American racial, ethnic, or national minority may experience a high degree of curiosity or unwanted attention from Namibians. Diverse Americans may be asked where they are “actually from” or if they are “really” American. Many Volunteers have been able to turn these encounters into learning experiences, sharing American values and deepening local community members' understanding of Americans.You will live among people who may have cultural norms different from the ones you are familiar with. Your effectiveness as a Volunteer is partly dependent on your ability to navigate these norms, so flexibility and a willingness to learn and understand, are key. Examples of norms you may encounter include a high importance placed on personal relationships, a casual attitude towards time and deadlines, sexism, strong hierarchies, bureaucracy, perceptions of American affluence, etc. Your training will equip you for these challenges.Language RequirementNoneLanguage Skills Additional InformationYou will have the opportunity to learn one of the following local languages: Oshikwanyama, Oshindonga, Otjiherero, Rukwangali, Silozi, Afrikaans, or Khoekhoegowab, depending on where you will live. Language is a critical component of integration and will allow for a more impactful and fulfilling service. Peace Corps has dedicated Language and Cultural Facilitators to teach local languages during Pre-Service Training (PST).Nelson Mandela famously said which rings true for Namibia, "If you talk to a man in a language he understands, you speak to his head. If you speak to him in his language, you speak to his heart.” In some areas of Namibia, particularly towns, you can survive without the local language, however the local language supports Volunteers safety and integrating into a community. . The most marginalized people in communities, also, often don't speak English.In most communities, at least three other local languages are spoken in addition to the primary local language. Learning basic greetings in the additional local language(s) spoken in your community is essential for successful integration. Having an interest in a deeper study of local language, which most often will occur in your community, in the form of self-study and continued work with a tutor, is a way for you to work more directly with community members, particularly women who may not have finished school and do not speak English.Peace Corps has funding available to support Volunteers' continued language acquisition in their communities. If interested, Volunteers can find their own tutors within the community. In addition, Peace Corps employs a Language and Cultural Coordinator who monitors Volunteers' progress in local languages throughout service. Peace Corps Trainees must reach a specified benchmark in language proficiency before they can be sworn in and begin service.Primary SectorHealthAccepts CouplesYesCouples CommentsPeace Corps welcomes couples. Your partner must apply and qualify for one of the following:The Economic Empowerment Program positionDue to community and placement challenges, Post can only accommodate one Community Health and HIV/AIDS & Economic Empowerment Program couple. During Pre-Service Training and other training events, couples may be asked to share rooms with other Trainees and Volunteers, depending on the availability of rooms. Though the conditions of housing and communities will vary, couples will live together during service.Peace Corps Namibia cannot accommodate same-sex couples due to the local political climate.Apply By01-Jan-2026Know By01-Mar-2026Language Requirements InformationNone, but knowledge of other languages will help with language acquisition in country.Total Number of Positions Available17Assignment Length (months)24Accepting Applications?YesProgramPCVTEFL certificate programNoPost to LinkedIn?No

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