Why was Boost developed?

Community health workers support millions of people with, or at risk of HIV in Southern Africa. They are often people’s first point of contact with the health system. To play an effective role, they need clear, accessible, and accurate information so they can provide high quality care to their communities.

Often community health workers rely on paper-based resources which are difficult to keep up-to-date, or in-person training which vary in terms of regularity and quality. There is also a lack of digital information resources specifically developed and tailored to the needs of community health workers and the Southern African context.

With access to mobile phones growing in Southern Africa, we saw an opportunity to address this need by providing a digital alternative: a more convenient way for community health workers to stay up to date and have the information they need to hand throughout the day.