By Bilkis Abdulraheem Lawal
“We Are Here for Them”: The Passion Driving a Community Health Worker.
For Zakiyya Said Abdul-Kadir, becoming a community health worker was not part of her original plan. An art student with dreams of pursuing journalism or law, her path changed the day she escorted her mother and sick younger brother to a hospital.
“I found out that a lot of people do not even know their health rights. People are deprived of their rights to access quality healthcare services,” she recalled. “That experience prompted me to change my field of study. I felt God had other plans for me.”
Although she once considered medicine, Zakiyya embraced community health as a calling, one that allows her to serve at the grassroots level and ensure people get the care and information they need.
Inspired By People’s Smile
What drives Zakiyya in her work is the closeness she shares with the people she serves. “I get closer to people to understand their pain, their agony, their health conditions, sometimes even the cultural or environmental factors that contribute to their illness,” she explained.
The greatest reward, she says, comes from seeing the joy on people’s faces when their health improves. “That satisfaction, that smile that is normally embedded on their faces when health is attained, that is what inspires me.”
A Day In Service
Zakiyya’s workday is never the same. As a volunteer, she divides her time between health facilities and community outreach. She works closely with the Enhancing Community’s Action for Peace and Better Health Initiative (ECAP), where she serves as Team Lead in Health Thematic Area and Progmme Coordinator.
“Sometimes, I am in the health facility, mostly within the maternal and child healthcare section. Other times, I am in the community, conducting outreach services, mobilising and sensitising households,” she said.
Her work often involves health education, delivered in Hausa language that people understand best. “Most of them do not even understand English. So speaking to them in English is like putting up a barrier to effective communication. Communication is key.”
Challenges in the Field
Like many community health workers, Zakiyya faces obstacles ranging from limited resources to behavioral barriers.
“Adherence to treatment is one of the biggest challenges,” she explained. “Some people don’t comply, and they keep repeating the same practices that worsen health conditions, for example, poor sanitation. Stagnant water becomes a breeding place for malaria parasites, yet some people are reluctant to clean their surroundings.”
A lack of essential drugs and tools also makes her work difficult, but she and her colleagues continue to improvise to ensure care reaches those in need.
Saving Lives, One Case at a Time
Zakiyya remembers one case vividly, a pregnant woman in her second trimester with swollen feet and difficulty breathing. Through timely intervention, the woman was stabilised and later gave birth safely.
“Moments like that bring me the most joy,” she said. “When I see a mother and her baby healthy through my intervention, I feel fulfilled. No matter how little the service, it makes me feel a sense of satisfaction and belonging.”
Recognition Without Pay
Despite her dedication, Zakiyya admits that her work is largely unpaid. “Sometimes, it’s once in a blue moon that we get any form of payment,” she said. “But the incentive is the satisfaction and recognition. People see me as a role model, someone they look up to, even though I am just a volunteer. That is enough to keep me going.”
A Call to Policymakers
Zakiyya believes community health workers deserve better recognition and support from both government and organisations.
“We go into communities, even to people’s doorsteps, because many feel it is stressful to visit health facilities,” she said. “We are here for them, and they are here for us. But we need empowerment, recruitment, and proper remuneration.”
She urges policymakers to address the unemployment crisis among trained community health workers. “Thousands graduate every year with nowhere to apply their skills. Many abandon the profession entirely. The government should strengthen laws to ensure every community health worker has a pensionable job, whether in primary, secondary, or tertiary health sectors. Our voices should be heard, our efforts appreciated.”
For Zakiyya, the work is not about money but about impact. “Community health workers are a set of people driven by passion to ensure health is achieved. We are closer to the people, we understand their realities, and we are committed to improving lives. That is what keeps us going.”
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