Hi there. Thanks for visiting our website and my blog. I will be so pleased for you to know me better as I hope to know you better too. My name is Jackie A. De Masi and I recently joined NAM as the Community Engagement Officer and I work within the Communications team. I am excited to have joined a youthful and dynamic team at NAM that aims to support and promote open communication on some key messages regarding HIV health information and treatment with African communities in and around London.
My first month at NAM has been just as interesting as one on a roller coaster (no matter how scary they could be)! Most inspiring moments in my first few weeks included the warm induction meetings. Challenging to me was having to remember everyone by their name and role. Most heart warming was when the team gave me a surprise birthday treat, only five days into my new role! I am pleased to realise that I am in the right place of a professional and fun loving family.
Though my first days were full of anxiety and feelings as if I had butterflies in my tummy, I am excited to hit the ground running. I am tapping into my ten years experience of working in development work both in East Africa as well as the UK. My background in different capacities has taught me to love the work I do. At NAM I come with a commitment and determination to focus my energy in working with community groups and individuals. I have an outgoing personality and can’t wait to meet new people and take time to listen to them and share their experiences. As an African woman, I identify with and can appreciate some of the key communication challenges faced by African communities and so I am happy to be part of a team committed to breaking down communication barriers and tackling health inequalities.
I think that it is true to say that African communities face challenges when it comes to managing their health, their condition and their treatment. We are a diverse group with different needs. My outgoing personality will take me to different communities involving people living with HIV, non-medical organization and health service providers within London. I will encourage many individuals, groups and organizations to be more involved in information resource development processes and support NAM’s initiative to develop appropriate and accurate information resources.
As I meet people, I will help disseminate HIV health information and treatment to Africans living with HIV. Hopefully this will help some of them to take control of their own lives and fully participate in their own healthcare decisions which will lead to longer and improved healthy lives.
Some people have said that they are not aware of NAM’s resources. My role will mean I publicise them and at the same time gather as much information as I can to get feedback on their relevance, usefulness and acceptability within the communities. So I will listen, learn and develop the so much needed trust in an effort to reduce the impact of HIV.
If you are an individual or organization working within the community and offer services to HIV positive Africans please get in touch with me. If you regularly subscribe to NAM’s print and on-line resources, I would be very pleased to hear about your views and comments on these resources. I look forward to meeting you all!