When I think back on my experience with the UPLIFT program in Ethiopia, what stands out most is how research can become a living, breathing collaboration — not just data collection, but a shared journey toward understanding and change.
From the beginning, UPLIFT was designed to bring together diverse partners, each contributing their own area of expertise to the project. Across three countries — Ethiopia, India, and Bangladesh, we worked with local governments, NGOs, and Community-Based Groups (CBGs) to explore how peer support could strengthen care for people affected by neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
In Ethiopia, our partnership with the German Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Association (GLRA) was especially meaningful. Their long history in leprosy control and community health gave us a strong foundation, and their collaboration with government health departments ensured that our research was grounded in local realities.
What made UPLIFT unique was its depth and diversity. We began with surveys among community members and people affected by NTDs, both at the start and end of the project, to measure the change over time. We developed a comprehensive manual through literature reviews, focus groups, and consultations with experts worldwide. It was a rich, layered process — one that taught me the importance of coordination, communication, and flexibility.
We adapted, trained local staff in qualitative methods, and strengthened their capacity to lead interviews and focus groups. That training became one of the most rewarding parts of the project — seeing local teams grow confident in gathering and interpreting data.
The research in UPLIFT didn’t come without its fair share of challenges. But then again, operational research often leads to valuable learning in response to unforeseen circumstances. And looking back, each challenge brought new opportunities to learn, adapt, and move the work forward.
Working across three different contexts allowed us to see how community-based groups function in different cultural and disease settings. In Ethiopia, where leprosy and podoconiosis were the focus, we learned how peer support could empower individuals to care for their own health and advocate for their communities. In India and Bangladesh, that same model took on new forms, shaped by local needs. Together, these experiences helped refine a harmonized approach that could be adapted globally.
The research from UPLIFT will result in two key outputs: the UPLIFT Implementation Manual, an open-access guidance document for establishing and developing CBGs — and a CBG Facilitation Guide for field workers, complete with practical tools and a QR code for feedback. Together, once these resources are released this summer, the materials will be available to be used across diverse contexts, helping implementers to design and adapt CBG strategies based on the UPLIFT model.
The most inspiring outcome for me was seeing peer supporters, trained through UPLIFT, offering emotional support and encouragement to others in their groups. They’re not just recipients of care; they’re leaders, advocates, and educators. That transformation, from inward healing to outward empowerment, is what research should aim for.
UPLIFT has shown that rigorous, inclusive research can do more than generate evidence; it can build confidence, strengthen communities, and inform global strategies for NTD prevention and care. My hope is that policymakers and health leaders see the value of these groups — that they recognize community-based strategies not only as effective, but essential.
In the end, UPLIFT reminded me that research is not only about measuring impact; it’s about creating it.
