Towards empowerment in healthcare

Community-based research on the Makasi project

Being healthy doesn’t just mean having access to care and medication in the event of illness, but also the ability to take action on one’s own health. This empowerment approach is particularly relevant to people living in precarious conditions, on the margins of the system and lacking the social resources to take care of themselves. Improving this empowerment in the health field means thinking about new approaches and new interventions. Community-based research, which brings together researchers and associations, is an ideal place to develop and test such innovative approaches. The aim of  the Makasi project is to empower immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa, whose precarious living conditions can expose them to sexual risks and HIV. This collective report shares Makasi research findings, cross-referencing them with those of other community-based  approaches.