WIN platform

The Faculty of Health Sciences, North-west University Potchefstroom (NWU) focuses on rural health and from this focus area the WIN project was initiated. The WIN project is an umbrella project, combining 13 sub-projects of different health science disciplines with a strong emphasis on building inter-sectorial partnerships to holistically improve rural health and well-being. 

WIN project has grown in the past few years, with other faculties from the NWU joining the Health Sciences disciplines to empower and improve these resource-poor communities through inter-sectorial partnerships, in which our students can also be prepared for their professions through work integrated learning and community beneficial workshops, training opportunities and interventions.

Employing research and/or intervention activities, different subject groups of each School of the Faculty of Health Sciences have addressed three key aspects of rural health and well-being, namely (1) physical health (sport and recreation center), (2) socio-economic & psycho-social well-being (local clinics/hospitals), and (3) food and nutrition security (school and community food security centers/nodes).

Long-term effective inter-sectorial partnerships with communities, local governments and the private sector is of equal importance and have been built to ensure successful and sustainable project outcomes. Moreover, emphasis is put on practical training of students in health and social professions to deliver experts in rural health and social services, advancing rural communities in our country in the long-term.

Through multi-level trandisciplinary research on sustainable livelihoods to uplift, empower and sustain these vulnerable rural areas, this project empowers and uplifts rural communities and includes creating an environment for students to receive reliable work integrated learning within rural communities to be trained as rural health professionals.

For further information please contact Dr Nicole Claasen.