About The Job

Apply by :

January 1, 2026

Know By

March 1, 2026

Depart On

August 24, 2026

Duration

2 years, plus 3 months training

ELIGIBILITY: Must be at least 18 years of age. Must be a U.S. citizen.

Project description

Goeie 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 topics
  
  

Skills

You'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.

Required Skills

Qualified 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
  
  

OR

• 5 years' professional work experience