Alumni Testimonials

Designation: Project Management
The CAHM course is well designed and focused on practical application. You have to work hard to successfully complete it, but the study effort is worth every moment. CAHM has equipped me to deal with a much wider scope of health services aspects than before.

Designation: Head of Pharmaceutical Services
The CAHM course that I did with FPD has most definitely influenced my current career. I have always believed that I possess good leadership qualities but the CAHM course helped me identify my weaknesses and further strengthened my good qualities. I find I am able to accept criticism in any form and not take it personally, but focus on the job at hand and the departmental/project goals. CAHM has helped me gain confidence in my ability to manage people.

Designation: Manager of Imisebeyelanga Services
FPD had a major impact on my career. It broadened my horizons and brought my focus back to the finer details of successful management. I can say: ""It allowed me the opportunity to sharpen my axe."" Through my studies and practical assignments, we managed to access different funding opportunities.

Designation: Senior Executive Manager
The CAHM course provided a better understanding of a diverse range of current management strategies and a greater insight into the South African health care management. This would assist in understanding how the health care system in SA functions and in this way enhance how RivLife as an NGO relates to this sector.” It is interesting to understand the impact of HIV and AIDS in such detail and also from a medical perspective. I work with a peri-urban community with a population of 20 000 people. This community is ravaged by high prevalence rates of HIV and Aids, unemployment, poverty and low literacy levels. Many in the community are rendered vulnerable to illnesses, abuse and oppression. There are many granny-headed, youth-headed and child-headed households in the community who receive support services from RivLife. The knowledge and skills that I have acquired will contribute significantly to how I continue to work within this community. I had commenced the course with certain reservations as I was not functioning within what I would refer to as my 'comfort zone', however, by the close of the first day, I was motivated and enthused.

Designation: Country Director and Regional Technical Advisor
According to Dr Aguirre the course has equipped him with additional skills and tools to “better assist both local South African partners and country programmes in 7 African countries.” He states that ''FPD is filling a very important niche and gap in health systems skills development, and is playing a critical role in building the capacity of health care providers to address health and welfare issues more effectively. The skills I’ve gained through FPD include resource mobilisation, business plan development and communication plan development.

Designation: Pharmacist
The course improved my skills and overall abilities in management. I am very grateful for the opportunity because now I am well equipped to do my job at present.

Designation : Professional Nurse
I am proud to be associated with FPD and that I had an opportunity to be a FPD student because their services are of a great standard and they are well structured and highly professional. I also stand a greater chance for a promotion once a position becomes available.

Designation: Clinician
I have done a number of courses with FPD especially the ones related to the subject of HIV/AIDS. I was impressed not only with the quality of the courses, but the quality of the facilitators. It is really encouraging for one to travel all the way to the venues and one gets good quality input from the facilitators. The course enabled me to get a lot of insight into management. And also helped me a great deal to write the strategic plan for the Thembalethu Community Project, thus enabling proper implementation of the project.

Designation:Executive Director
The course has especially enhanced my working abilities. For one, my proposal writing has improved. In the past I didn't involve all my staff in strategic planning, but after the course I realised the importance thereof and I have ever since, motivating my staff in the process.

Designation: Quality Assurance Pharmacist
The AHMP has benefitted me in the following ways: 1) I was able to relate the concepts learnt, to my experience in the retail, hospital, IT, NGO and distribution pharmacy sector. 2) My knowledge and skills were enhanced especially with regards to project management and financial management. 3) AHMP gave me the opportunity to network with other health care professionals.

Designation :Clinical Nurse Practitioner
I feel more competent and I am more equipped now to deal with the managerial issues of the facility. I now see everything I do as project management and I handle it as such from start to finish. And the issues I never handled before, I am taking them on with better confidence in myself. The course has also brought me closer to my career aspirations in terms of qualifications.

Designation : CEO
My view about FPD is that they have a management course that is that is relevant and responsive to the needs and challenges of healthcare professionals.

Designation Research Medical Officer
The management course exposed me to a wide range of skills that I had never come across, being a trained clinician.

Designation :Enrolled Nurse
The course helped improve in the area of human resource management, due to the fact that I manage a team of data capturers. It ensured I had the capacity to do my work as a data coordinator more effectively than before.

Designation :Senior Researcher and Facilitator
FPD’s services are first class all the way! The administration of the entire course, right from applying to graduating, was excellent. Lucy and Samantha were always there to answer queries. Study materials were well-structured and informative, and always available on time. The facilitators of the workshops were all incredibly knowledgeable, insightful and approachable. A really smooth operation!

Dietician
After I did the course my team and I were able to identify and put other projects in place. For one, we were able to arrange a Breastfeeding Symposium on 11/08/11. In general my managerial skills have improved a lot, I am now able to help others in the department with my knowledge to effectively run their projects. Also the supply chain management in my department has improved, now that I gained the financial management skill from the course. In fact we managed to eliminate 40% of the audit queries. I was impressed by the FPD facilitators, they are experts at what they do and they know how to get the message across to the students. Further I want to recommend the FPD courses to all senior and middle managers.

Designation : General Manager
The course has given me more insight into my job and has made me to better understand my roles and functions.

Designation :Professional Nurse
The course has broadened my scope in as far as working with my subordinates. The seven leadership style for managers has equipped me on how to deal with each situation towards attainment of the organisation goals. Giving each subordinate an opportunity to take charge of the unit has boosted their self esteem and thereby improving service delivery. FPD training empowered me with knowledge through the team of experts that facilitated the course. And the facilitators easily related to us because they had gone through the same frustrations as us before.

Designation :Programme Coordinator
It opened my eyes to what I did wrong and taughtt me how to correct it, not only for work related subjects, but also the way I treat my colleagues.

Designation :HIV Ccounselling and Testing Counsellor Supervisor FPD services were so excellent that I am testifying about it everywhere! What FPD is doing is VERY important because many managers are leading the company without those skills like the ones that I gained this year. I preferred more training with FPD as it has many qualified facilitators.”