USINGA

A huge congratulations to our Director, Dr Nompumelelo Nzimande-Mbele alongside our researchers, Sindisiwe Ngobese and Minenhle Mbanjwa, on authoring the chapter on Maternal Mortality in-facility ratio, now published in the HST District Health Barometer 2024/25.

USINGA honoured an invite to the Umlazi Ward 82 Unemployed Graduates & Job Opportunity Summit at Zamokuhle Community Hall. This platform aims at engaging graduates, employers, training providers and stakeholders in a shared effort to tackle unemployment and unlock opportunities.

USINGA participated as a stakeholder in a special day dedicated to senior citizens at eMlazi Cinema on 31 March 2026. The event brought together key services, from health and social development to justice support, ensuring our elders had access to the resources they need.

USINGA researchers took to the stage at the 5th Stats SA Isibalo Symposium, contributing to important conversations on data-driven decision making in KZN. Well done to our team!

USINGA hosted a Community Safety Appreciation Day in Wards 79 and 82, where reflective jackets and beanies were donated to the Community Policing Forums. The initiative is USINGA’s ongoing commitment to supporting those who work tirelessly to protect our communities.

Author Highlght || #5thISIbalo2026 Under Sub-theme 2: Data Justice & Inclusion • Josephine Yandwa Towani • Sakhile Mpanza • Zandile Noluthando Msimango #StatsSA #KnowYourStatsZA #StatsSAOtPCollaboration #EvidenceBasedDecisionMaking #GovZAUpdates #ISIbaloSymposium

Author Highlght | #5thISIbalo2026 As we approach the 5th ISIbalo Symposium, we are proud to highlight presenters contributing to Sub-theme 1: From Insight to Action – Bridging Data and Policy. #StatsSA #KnowYourStatsZA #StatsSAOtPCollaboration #GovZAUpdates @kzngov

An HDSS is nothing without the community. Listening and responding to our community’s needs is at the heart of our work. Today we shine the spotlight on our Community Engagement team, who are always on the ground listening and supporting the community.

Population studies are about people and through this lens, USINGA hosted this year’s Population Studies and Development Studies postgraduate students for a day of activation and community engagement, connecting academic theory to the realities of local communities. #USINGAHDSS

AHRI hosted the USINGA team for a three-day session on information exchange. The team observed everything from fieldwork and operations to health studies. From interacting with the people to witnessing the work being done on the ground, it was a worthwhile days of education.

Join us for our first webinar of 2026 as Professor Ncayiyana speaks on, "Anthropometric nutritional status, dietary characteristics of urban adolescents and young adults taking part in the ARISE NUTRINT and DASH study." Register samrc.ac.za/event/saprin-p… @MRCza @dstigovza

Listening to the community matters. USINGA engaged the CAB in a community dialogue. Useful perspectives on TB were gathered, along with vaccination across the life course and new approaches to TB vaccine delivery, to inform a community-driven TB vaccine model for South Africa.

Meaningful conversations today, as AHRI and USINGA, with their CAB members, came together for a new TB vaccine sensitisation session. Community voices at the centre of TB awareness and research. #USINGAHDSS #AHRI

This newsletter reflects our continued commitment to generating high-quality health and demographic data in partnership with the communities we serve. yumpu.com/en/document/vi…

We are excited to share the USINGA 2025 Newsletter, which highlights a year of impactful research, community engagement, expansion activities, and key milestones achieved by the team.

USINGA is back on the ground in Ward 88! 💚Following our activation with the CPF, we’re committed to working closely with residents. Your cooperation and support are appreciated as we move forward together. #USINGA

Fieldwork has officially resumed for 2026. Our teams are back in the community and ready to engage with residents. Thank you for your continued support as we start the year together! #USINGAHDSS

#USINGA #HDSS #UKZN