Friend of the Human Race

Stronger together

Co-operation is the key to success, and FHR is forging partnerships with organisations with similar aims in a bid to reinforce each other’s work. The charity has linked up with Peoples-uni, a provider of low cost e-learning on public health, and the Africa Academy for Environmental Health, an umbrella organisation for all universities and colleges teaching environmental health in Africa.
FHR secretary Stewart Petrie says: ‘The Africa Academy has asked that we become partners with them and this is very much welcomed by FHR. Together we will be drawing up a memorandum of understanding to formalise this relationship.
‘We’re particularly interested in working together on the organisation of subject specific conferences, in assisting in facilitating contacts to help develop the profession and education and research within the profession and in fostering links between academy members and other institutions around the world.’
The academy played a significant part in organising the second All-Africa Environmental Health Congress in Malawi.
FHR hopes to work closely with Peoples-uni on a very specific project – development of an e-learning module entitled ‘environmental health, investigating a problem’.
Dick Heller, co-ordinator of Peoples-uni says: ‘Development of a module on environmental health is now a top priority for us. I hope that FHR will join us in developing and offering a module designed to help health professionals understand the causes of environmental threats to public health, the size of the problem and how to utilise an evidence-based approach to reducing these threats. FHR members will be welcomed as collaborators and partners, to develop and deliver the module as a joint activity.’
FHR secretary Stewart Petrie says: ‘I’m excited about the collaboration with Peoples-uni. This contact came through Claudia Kurzac in Canada and is a great example of the power of networking.
‘Peoples-uni has distance learning courses on disaster and emergency work. I look forward to our organisations working together to further develop in this area and in assisting in developing courses in environmental health.’