abstract: 'IntroductionA range of community engagement initiatives to advance

  health and wellbeing are currently taking place in informal settlements

  in low and middle income countries (LMICs), including community and

  stakeholder meetings, use of radio, film, TV programs and other

  information, education and communication materials (IECs) organized by

  different stakeholders. While these initiatives tend to focus on

  unidirectional flow of information to communities, the need to

  incorporate initiatives focusing on bi or multi-directional flow of

  information have been identified. Despite the extensive body of

  literature on community engagement, the role of Community Advisory

  Committees (CACs) in advancing health and wellbeing in informal

  settlements is still a puzzle, occasioned by considerable ambiguity. A

  community advisory committee is a dedicated group of volunteers to

  support health and wellbeing needs of their community using a community

  approach. Researchers and project implementers work in partnership with

  CACs to successfully implement their activities within the target

  community. MethodsIn this paper, using in-depth interviews, we document

  the roles of CACs in advancing health and wellbeing in Korogocho and

  Viwandani informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. ResultsStudy

  participants described the role of CAC in advancing health and wellbeing

  through education and awareness creation, advisory roles in research and

  implementation goals, protecting community interests and acting as

  gatekeepers and collaborators to community partners. Identified barriers

  to achieving CAC roles include lack of finance and other field

  resources, being labeled as organization staff and low involvement by

  some upcoming and emerging local leaders on issues which involve the CAC

  constituents. Enablers of CACs in their roles include possession of

  appropriate skills and values by members; involvement of the community

  in the selection of members, regular consultative and advisory meetings,

  representativeness in the composition of CAC membership and knowledge

  about the community. ConclusionWe conclude that CACs play key roles in

  advancing health and wellbeing in informal settlements and that existing

  CACs mechanisms and operations need to be given due consideration by

  researchers, project implementers and local authorities right from

  project conceptualization. CACs need recognition beyond consultations

  and placations during research and project implementation to a veritable

  social structure for community''s social viability and survival as well

  as partners in development for inclusive urbanization process. While

  CACs have contributed in advancing health and wellbeing in informal

  settlements, there is need for a long-term strategy to optimize their

  impact and reduce puzzles around their roles.'
affiliation: 'Chumo, I (Corresponding Author), African Populat \& Hlth Res Ctr APHRC,
  Nairobi, Kenya.

  Chumo, Ivy; Kabaria, Caroline; Oduor, Clement; Amondi, Christine; Njeri, Ann; Mberu,
  Blessing, African Populat \& Hlth Res Ctr APHRC, Nairobi, Kenya.'
article-number: '1047133'
author: Chumo, Ivy and Kabaria, Caroline and Oduor, Clement and Amondi, Christine
  and Njeri, Ann and Mberu, Blessing
author-email: ivychumo@gmail.com
author_list:
- family: Chumo
  given: Ivy
- family: Kabaria
  given: Caroline
- family: Oduor
  given: Clement
- family: Amondi
  given: Christine
- family: Njeri
  given: Ann
- family: Mberu
  given: Blessing
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1047133
eissn: 2296-2565
files: []
journal: FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
keywords: 'community advisory committee; health and wellbeing; community advisory

  board (CAB); informal settlements; qualitative study; community based

  participatory research'
keywords-plus: BOARDS; EQUITY
language: English
month: JAN 9
number-of-cited-references: '38'
orcid-numbers: Chumo, Ivy/0000-0003-1235-719X
papis_id: 4533df32630afbb22846774591e7e2bc
ref: Chumo2023communityadvisory
researcherid-numbers: 'Chumo, Ivy/AAG-3238-2021

  '
times-cited: '0'
title: 'Community advisory committee as a facilitator of health and wellbeing: A qualitative
  study in informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya'
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000916743300001
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '0'
volume: '10'
web-of-science-categories: Public, Environmental \& Occupational Health
year: '2023'