1. The document describes the ReReCHI initiative led by Dr. Khalifa Elmusharaf to institutionalize research on rebuilding reproductive and child health systems in post-conflict Sudan using innovative approaches. 2. One such approach is the Participatory Ethnographic Evaluation and Research (PEER) method which involves training local women in communities to conduct in-depth qualitative interviews with their peers about maternal and child health experiences and issues. 3. Through a process of data collection, analysis workshops, and dialogue with researchers, the PEER method aims to build local ownership, empowerment, and an understanding of the local context to strengthen communities.

1. Dr. Khalifa Elmusharaf, MBBS, PGDip, FRSPH (UK)
PhD researcher Health System & Policy (Ireland)
Head of Reproductive & Child Health Research Unit 'RCRU’
University of Medical Sciences & Technology (Sudan)
www.rcru.org www.facebook.com/groups/rcru.org www.youtube.com/rcrutv

2. Innovative approaches
ReReCHI: Institutionalization
PEER:Research & Empower

3. ReReCHIBackground
Rebuilding Reproductive & Child Health System in
ReReCHI post conflict Initiative

4. ReReCHI Background
In order to institutionalize the research we launched ReReCHI.
This initiative is a partnership of policy makers, health
providers, community leaders, local & international NGOs and
ReReCHI Communities and is led by the PhD student Dr. Khalifa
Elmusharaf and his Public Health Master students at University
of Medical Sciences & Technology. Khartoum, Sudan

5. ReReCHIBackground
This initiative is multidisciplinary, consists of
ReReCHI researchers from different backgrounds;
medical, laboratory, family sciences, public health,
health system & Policy, nursing, interns,
and volunteers.

6. Stakeholders (1) Background
Policy makers:
Governor of Renk county
Executive Director of Renk county
ReReCHI Humanitarian Aid Commissioner

7. Stakeholders (2) Background
Planners/Health Care
providers:
ReReCHI Preventive Medicine
Department
HIV/AIDS Department
Midwifery School and
Reproductive Health
Medical Director of Renk
Hospital

8. Stakeholders (3) Background
NGOs:
Women Organization for Development and
Capacity Building (Labena)
ReReCHI Mubadirroon organization for prevention of
disaster & war impact
Mercy Corps.
Turath Organization for Human Development

9. Stakeholders (4) Background
Community Leaders
Churches
ReReCHI Mosques
Tribal Chiefs

10. PEER

11. PEER Participatory Ethnographic Evaluation & Research
Research & Empowerment

12. PEER
PEER is an innovative,
rapid, participatory and
qualitative research
method involving
ordinary members of the
community to generate
in-depth and contextual
data
(Price and Hawkins 2002).

13. PEER
16 women recruited by village
leaders

14. PEER
The women attended a Three-day
training to identify key themes in
maternal and child health

15. PEER training workshop
Concept of peer research
1 Discussed important issues
of maternal health in their
community.

16. PEER training workshop
2
Identified key themes and
questions for the
qualitative research

17. PEER training workshop
Final themes and sub themes
1. Family & Determinants of Family Size,
2. Experiences of Pregnancy,
3. Experiences of Birth,
2
(20 sub themes and Images)

18. PEER training workshop
3 Developed images to remind
them with the questions.

19. PEER training workshop
3

20. PEER
Qualitative
Researcher

21. PEER
Each woman
interviewed 3
of her friend
Discussed
maternal health
and child health

22. They returned to their
villages to carry out in-
depth interviews in the
third person format with
three of their friends
three times
over three weeks

23. PEER
Women asked to describe
experiences of “women like
them” or of other women
in the village, not to tell
stories about themselves.

24. PEER
The 16 women
discussed their
conversations with the
researcher and related
stories to them.

25. De-briefing with PEER researchers
Researchers visit them to collect their findings in a
series of debriefing sessions

26. Researcher visited the women in
their villages,
‘They Visited hard-to-reach
communities’

27. Researcher is making detailed
notes of the narrative data that
women had collected.

28. PEER Analysis workshop
Upon completion of
three discussions, the
women came
together with
researchers, for
analysis workshop
Discuss main themes from the discussions

29. PEER Analysis workshop
Upon completion of
three discussions, the
women came
together with
researchers, for
analysis workshop
Discuss main Act out Dramas discussions
themes from the

30. PEER Analysis workshop
Upon completion of
three discussions, the
women came
together with
researchers, for
analysis workshop
Discuss main Act out Dramas discussions
Develop Case Studies
themes from the

31. PEER
Generate a dialogue
between researchers
and the women

32. PEER
Capacity

33. PEER
Capacity
Build ownership

34. PEER
Capacity
Build ownership
Empowerment

35. PEER
Capacity
Build ownership
Empowerment
in-depth contextual data

36. PEER
Capacity
Build ownership
Empowerment
in-depth contextual data
Understanding Local Context

37. PEER
Capacity
Build ownership
Empowerment
in-depth contextual data
Understanding Local Context
Strengthening Society