Our Views, Our Voices Virtual training on becoming effective NCD spokespeople and advocates.

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Our Views, Our Voices Virtual training on becoming effective NCD spokespeople and advocates.

The training organised by NCD Alliance took place over two weeks, from 15 to 26 November 2021. It aimed to equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to publicly share their lived experiences and call for action on NCDs.

In view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the specific vulnerabilities related to people living with NCDs, the NCD Alliance adopted a virtual training format in 2021 to expand the group of trained, confident lived experience advocates driving change on NCDs.

Participants lived with a range of NCDs, including epilepsy, psoriasis, bipolar type 2, anxiety, rheumatoid arthritis, breast cancer, hypertension, and type 1 diabetes. The training included participants from countries where national Advocacy Agendas for People Living with NCDs were developed in 2021, including Bangladesh, Malawi, Malaysia, Philippines, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Vietnam.

The Rwanda NCD Alliance delegated Paladie KAMPUHWE MATEGEKO and Joseph RUKELIBUGA to be part of the training.

The training had nine modules that familiarised participants with the NCD global policy landscape and perfected participants’ communication and advocacy skills to harness the power of their lived experiences. They also learnt how to build an impactful public narrative on NCDs and mobilise their communities to call for change.

The training explored the concept and mechanisms of meaningful involvement of people living with NCDs, including advocacy tools like the Advocacy Agenda of People Living with NCDs and the Global Charter on Meaningful Involvement of People Living with NCDs. Participants had the opportunity to identify topline advocacy messages for policymakers and other key stakeholders at local, regional, and national levels.

The Rwanda NCD Alliance is grateful to all participants for their passion and commitment towards the training sessions and for generously sharing their personal experiences, and would like to congratulate Joseph and Paladie on completing the 2021 Our Views, Our Voices virtual training and express our gratitude for their contributions to the initiative! We hope they will continue to use the skills they have gained to advocate for NCD prevention and control in Rwanda and beyond.