Meet the Mancunian - Talking Black community health with Charles Kwaku-Odoi

Transcript - Charles Kwaku-Odoi

Intro

Welcome to the ninth episode of the Meet the Mancunian podcast: social impact Stories from Manchester. This is the fourth season. I'm Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe, your friendly host. On the streets and nooks of Manchester, my inspiring Mancunian guests tackle their causes with their grit and passion. They are leaders, worker bees, and community hosts, and they share their stories to inspire you, all through the season.

Relax, grab a brew and listen in to the Meet the Mancunian podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, or any of your favourite podcasting platforms. You can also check out all the episodes on my new website, www meetthemancunian.co.uk.

I wanted to take a moment to introduce the podcast's, new expanded title. It's now the Meet the Mancunian podcast, social impact stories from Manchester. I've added social impact stories in the title to make it easier for listeners to know what the podcast is about and what some of my new listeners may not know is that Mancunians are people from Manchester, UK. I hope you like the new title and it makes it easier for you to find the podcast when you're looking for great social impact stories to inspire your own dreams and passions.

And then back to the ninth episode. Looking to support health and wellbeing of the community, we hear from Charles Kwaku-Odoi, Chief Officer, Caribbean and African Health Network in this episode.

Episode 9

Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: I'm delighted to introduce my guest, Charles Kwaku-Odoi, Chief Officer, Caribbean and African Health Network (CAHN). Thanks so much, Charles, for taking the time today.

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: Thanks, Deepa for the opportunity.

Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Looking forward to learning about all the work you're doing, but maybe just start by telling us about your passion for health and how did you get started?

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: So I think I have a few hats on and among the various roles, I'm a church leader of an independent Pentecostal church. And over the years I have obviously had congregation members who have been unwell, but I've had friends and family members as well. I'm heavily involved in interfaith work and I remember back in 2010, 2011 thereabout, I had a phone call from someone working for an HIV organisation in London who really wanted to run a workshop for black church leaders in Manchester and asked if I would come along. And I did go along to learn about HIV and some of the issues and challenges. And it was a real eye-opener knowing that HIV, there was a high prevalence in the black African community, but not much progress compared to other communities where there was a high prevalence. And so that was a start of a journey and for me personally, it was about utilising (my network)...

Yes. So the workshop around HIV and hearing about the transmission, and some of the issues and the challenges and the fact that it has been difficult to reach the black community around awareness raising, health promotion. And I just thought to myself, being a church leader and having lots of pastor friends, I should be able to speak to them and help raise those issues.

And so for me, that's where it started and it was a whole journey. Had to go to London over the next two years, learning myself, but also thinking through how I could engage other church leaders and other community leaders around the subject of health. It then led to running HIV clinics in churches on Sundays, which was unheard of.

So went through a real journey and so in 2017, when the chair of the Caribbean African Health Network invited me to a workshop and she was talking about a PhD that was looking at poorer cardiovascular outcomes and why black people tend to have poorer outcomes. I went along and it was quite moving and touching. Once again, a real focus on the black community, and I did offer to join the organisation and now five years down the line…

Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: …that's how it's happened. That's a really great story, and it's lovely that it started with your church and your interfaith work and really supporting the community.

So tell us about about CAHN or the Caribbean and African Health Network. What is it focused on and what does it do day to day?

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: So the Caribbean African Health Network (CAHN for short) was formed in 2017 on the back of our chair, Dr. Faye Bruce's, PhD. As I mentioned before, she was looking at why black people tend to have poor cardiovascular outcomes.

It was just around the start of devolution in Greater Manchester. So many will know we had a devolved health and social care budget of 6 billion and Dr. Faye Bruce and was running her PhD focus groups. We were asked what she was going to do with the data. And that same time and time again, they get consulted and nothing happens. They don't hear back. They don't know what their contribution, their views and experiences they share. They don't know where that goes

And so, she committed to do something and not allow her PhD to sit on a shelf. But the more focus groups you run; the more people ask the same question. So lo and behold, 10 people came together, set up a CiC [Community interest company] because that was quicker to set up a CIC than a charity.

So CAHN has a vision of eradicating health inequalities and wider disparities for Caribbean, African people within a generation, and the whole mission is leading some of those strategic conversations and discussions on behalf of our black community. So that commissioners, service providers, statutory bodies, will have the skill set and, and be supported to develop, that equity of access for the black community.

So there's a real focus on the wider social determinants of health, and that's how someone's education, housing, social status, all those things where someone lives, how that impacts on health and wellbeing. So that's what CAHN has been focused on, pre-pandemic.

And so we say the pandemic hasn't really taught us anything new. It gave us a seat around the table because from 2017 we're trying to shine a light on some of the disparities and inequalities at the moment.

We have sort of five areas of work. We are looking at community engagement and empowerment. We have a range of health and wellbeing services and programs. We are also into education training and leadership development. Then there's the whole aspect of infrastructure and capacity building for other black-led organisations, and then research and innovation, because that was what started the organisation.

Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thank you so much for sharing that and that mission of eradicating inequalities in health provision, within a generation. That's very powerful and good luck to you. That's a very big mission. Thank you. And I hope CAHN and your like-minded organisations can do that. It's much needed.

Can I ask about what challenges you may have faced on this journey because, obviously while you have a noble mission, sometimes you have challenges. And through those challenges, maybe there are some learnings you can share with listeners. We have listeners now from 41 countries, including Kenya, which is the only African country listening in, but there are people of Caribbean and African descent around the world. They might be listening in.

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: Yeah, so clearly, and for many charities, it's all about resource and the funding. And for us as an organisation, looking at where we started and without any huge core funding, it has been difficult knocking on doors saying, the Caribbean African community has huge disparities.

So twice more likely to have stroke, more likely to have liver failure and women more likely to have endometriosis? And it goes on and on and pre pandemic it was like,  pushing a closed door, but then with the pandemic, the disproportionate impact of Covid, it meant that there was a real opportunity.

So for us as an organisation, what we've learned is the power of being focused and, and saying the same things along as the evidence base is there. So we are very much focused on the data. Being proactive is really important and I share with people at the start of the pandemic in March 2020, we had three part-time staff working two days, three days. But because we were willing to respond to the challenge at stake and to support our community, we've now grown to 48 members of staff. We've experienced exponential growth, both in staffing, but also the services we deliver, as well as obviously income generation.

And, and it's because we were willing to respond. So for example, in March, 2020, before the first lockdown was announced, we sent an eBulletin to our audience on our database saying, If you are a black person and you have sickle cell and high blood pressure and others, then make sure you look after yourself.

And I always say that I personally having a child, a son with asthma, I stopped him from going to school way before government came up with a clinically extremely vulnerable group. So by being proactive and engaging with our community, but also what afforded us was to build trust. So then when it got to the time where we had to encourage people from our community for the vaccine trial, as well as the vaccine rollouts, we already had a relationship of trust.

We started organising fortnightly meetings, but also we knew the importance of people having ethnic foods. So we started speaking to various funders and we're buying them in bulk, giving it to church groups, community groups to redistribute. And so when we had to have a difficult conversation around the vaccine and saying that was the only scientifically viable option, people knew that the trust was already there.

Also, we started running weekly webinars, health webinars, so we've been running that since the 2nd of May, 2020 where we have a black doctor speaking to the community and answering their questions. And we didn't just focus on Covid. We have six health priority areas where we know the data is quite stark when it comes to our community.

And because of the weekly webinars we're running, when we were asked to support with the vaccines rollout on the 16th of January, one of our Saturday morning sessions, we ended up with a thousand people on Zoom. 800 across YouTube and Facebook. And at any time, any point in time during the one and a half hour webinars, we had people wanting to join on Zoom, but then the moment we had the vaccines minister join, we lost about 50 people. And for us, that shows that our people, they want to hear people who look like them, tell them the truth.

So these things have enabled us build trust with our community. And I think having the will to dream is also important. And last year, for the first time, because we were trying to punch above our weight and responding to the needs of our community, we ran a grants program for Caribbean African led organisations across Greater Manchester.

Obviously we had local support, but we did apply to Comic Relief and, and we gave distributed GBP 310,000 in grants of 5, 10, and 15. It was the first time a black-led organisation was administrating funds to other black-led organisations. So it has been difficult, but if you keep, responding to the needs of the community, if you keep that your focus. Then where there's a will, there is a way. And, it's something we have been able to demonstrate through our work.

Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thanks so much for sharing that. And, you've brought me very well to a question about the impact you're making, obviously through the funds that you are doing, through the covid education.

Because I know that the BME community were less likely to take the vaccine and they were more likely [to get Covid]. Because obviously, I also come from an Indian background myself, and I was very interested in that. I was very concerned about why that was happening and it's great to know that you were able to build that trust and, influence people to take that step.

What impact would you say you made besides the big milestone that you've shared so far? Is there anything you want to call out?

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: Yeah, so we were really privileged as part of having built trust around the vaccination. We went right from just giving information to having our nurses put jabs in the arms.

So we run six clinics in the city of Salford. We did our own flyers, publicity, knocking on doors, interviews on radio station. We had volunteers in the street. And then the local health body, the CCG came along with the vaccines and we, one of the unique selling points of about CAHN is access to volunteer nurses and doctors up and down the country across all specialties.

And so for us, our strap line has been how we influence policy and practice. So in practice we have clinicians given their time and the Saturday morning webinar. Every Saturday morning between 11 and 12.15 or 12.30 live on Zoom stream to YouTube and Facebook. It means we are increasing the health literacy of our community.

Because we keep asking what can we do without money if we had no money at all? Knowledge is power, but also health is wealth. And if we can, so telling people about their numbers, encouraging people to be physically active and to look at what they eat and the salt content. So that health literacy aspect, it has been phenomenal. But also we've created jobs.

And, our organisation is black-led. We have, the 47-48 people, predominantly from different African and Caribbean nationalities and that seems to be going well. We responded to calls from church leaders in the first wave of the pandemic. And so at the moment we run a black-led counselling service that has trained, qualified, , therapists from African and Caribbean backgrounds.

We are providing bereavement support, peer support, we are dealing with complex bereavement and, and trauma. And what we know is the mainstream services are not seeing the number of black people we see. So in terms of service provision, it has been phenomenal where we can provide support and people who have been bereaved 10 years ago are now coming to the service asking for support and they know they can be listened to.

And then there are a range of our services we've had to develop around suicide prevention and addiction and gambling and all that. And, and when it comes to our services and program, the strapline we use is culturally appropriate and racially sensitive services and we are not shy to talk about faith.

So whether it is utilising church leaders or imams because we know within the black population, their faith is a key part of our people's identity. And so, we don't shy away. In my organisation, we have two church leaders liaison officers. We also have a black Muslim imam that works with us and reaches out to others so that we can go. We've been running lots of health checks. We started it pre pandemic. And we are, delighted that on Sundays or at community events, we run them and, and we refer, we've screened over a thousand, referred over 50%. And, sometimes quite really serious readings and it means that people have had the necessary healthcare support because of the outreach we've done.

So those are some of the impact, but also just last Thursday. And this is, I say this with all humility and its testament to the work we do. I was named as one of the top 50 most influential BAME people in health in the UK and that's just testament to the work of the Caribbean African Health Network with my colleagues, but also the endorsement we have.  We are sitting on different boards, we are helping shape policy, we are helping shape research and driving things in the right direction. And I think what we've been brilliant as talking about impact is how we able to triangulate people's lived experience in thematic ways to help policymakers and help service providers really tailor what they do for people from marginalised communities, and it's been a real delight.

Up and down the country, we work with some amazing BME-led organisations, so we are learning from our South Asian brothers and sisters whilst we also share what we've learned, and that's how collectively we are shaping things in the right direction.

Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thanks so much for sharing that, Charles, and congratulations.

I mean, it sounds like there's so much impact you're making and it's great to know that you and your organisation, of course are being well recognised and they're becoming like a really big Manchester institution in a very short span of time. Because you just started in 2017. That's not very long.

Thank you. How can interested people reach out to you and learn more about CAHN or maybe join some of these workshops and webinars that you're organising?

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: Thank you. So, so, we are present on social media, so Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Reddit, TikTok. Yeah, you just look out for CAHN UK or the Caribbean African Health Network and learn more about Saturday morning programme. And, we run those webinars with five other partners, two in London, Leeds, Birmingham and Sheffield, and, and it's always live on our YouTube platform, but also we have a Tuesday session on nutrition and physical activity.

And once again, you can drop us a line info@cahn.org.uk to access any of our services, whether it's around advocacy or therapeutic intervention, you can email help@cahn.org.uk. We also run a help line, so feel free to either text, WhatsApp, or call for those in the UK - 07100222382. So social media, our website, and feel free to drop us a line and, and someone will definitely come back to you.

Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thanks so much for sharing that. And I'll include your website in the episode notes as well so that people can easily find it.

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: Thank you. What advice would you have for people looking to start something similar in another part of the world, in another part of the UK?

That’s a great question. I mean, what I'll say and the strength of the Caribbean African Health Network (CAHN). The strength of CAHN has been collaboration and partnership building.

So right from 2017, the commitment we made to the community is not to compete. With other black-led organisations, but to collaborate, to enhance what others are doing because no one organisation will have all the solutions. So right from the outset, be intentional about how you're going to collaborate.

So if you are an organisation just focused on cancer, understand what is already happening. and I think there's a cultural thing about celebrating those who have gone ahead of us. So those who have been there for 20, 30 years, yes, you may have a brilliant idea, you may be digitally strong, but they will have some knowledge because they've been there, and they've done it. That will enhance what you do.

So, collaboration, partnership, building, and I think, that cross-sector working. So yes, there may be challenges with the criminal justice system but you can't shy away from there. You need to sit around those tables where you can influence. And I think sometimes when people have talked about racism and discrimination, they've said, no, I'm not engaging with this organisation. I'm not touching this. I'm not going here. I'm not going to speak to them. That will do you a disservice to the vision you have. I think it's about that respectful approach. Not pointing fingers at individuals because nobody's perfect and there will always be challenges. There will always be more room for improvement.

So that positive asset-based approach where you want to collaborate and partner up celebrating others. So we are not afraid as an organisation to celebrate others. We are not afraid to signpost other stakeholders who want to engage and have that sense of humility, because it's a marathon. This, this whole journey of social impact and change is a marathon, and nobody can do it alone. So we have relationships with the university, with our Greater Manchester police, with local authorities, with the trust.

And then maybe I'll chip in this example, when people told us that there were issues with one of the biggest hospital trusts in Manchester. What we did was to speak to their senior leaders and ask them to have a series of ongoing engagements with our community as a way of rebuilding trust. So, finally no one organisation can solve it all. Together we are stronger. A sense of humility, but a real focus on your mission, your purpose, and how you complement what others do.

So if there are services running Monday, Wednesday, and you want to do the same thing, go for Tuesday, Friday, and talk to them. Share volunteers, sometimes go along to other organisations, and learn from what they're doing. That is how collectively when we are stronger, we can bring about significant change.

Thank you. That's a really great tip. And it looks like you're doing that very successfully and it's a really good one and I'm sure listeners will appreciate that.

It's an opportunity now for you to talk about anything that I haven't asked you about, maybe something coming up in the next couple of months, or any winter focus you want to call out.

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: Yeah, thanks. So yes, I want to remind people about Saturday morning sessions. It's on every Saturday morning, on Zoom, YouTube, and Facebook Live. But also in the first two weeks of December, we are going to be running a blood pressure monitor campaign, so encouraging people to know their numbers. We want to give out some blood pressure monitors for free and encourage people to think about those who could benefit within their family and friend circle and, and, and to really give that out as a Christmas gift. Because yes, it's good to buy toys and clothes and all that, but health is wealth.

And then within the city of Salford, we're going to be running a vitamin D campaign. We know black and brown people have low levels of Vit D, so want to encourage people, to buy a bottle of vitamin D, 2000 or more international units and look after yourself really. So those are my parting messages. In the UK we are privileged to have free healthcare. So, make sure you register with a GP.

With winter around the corner, there's a call for people to have boosters as well as their flu jab, and all we want to say to people is to look after yourself because it's only when you well and strong, that is when you can look after your loved one and spread the health as well. Let's look at what we eat. Let's make sure we keep active and moving and let's really engage with services.

And, then finally for us minority people our voice matters. If you access a service and you weren't treated well in a constructive, positive way, let people know, because by speaking out in a constructive way, then we will be shaping the landscape for our children's children and generations after us.

Thanks for sharing that.

Now, the signature questions that I ask all my guests and the first one is, can you describe the Mancunian spirit in a word or a phrase?

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: Resilient.

Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Great one.

Can you share a Mancunian who inspires you and why? And this could be somebody who's living or dead.

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: I would say the Dean of Manchester. He is of Indian ethnicity, but born in South Africa. And he is been a real role model around community cohesion and community resilience and, and challenging hate and discrimination. But also for many years, he was the first black dean in the Church of England.

Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: You need to name him as well, Charles, please.

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: Okay. So, that's the very Reverend Dean Rogers, Govinda MBE, the Dean of Manchester.

Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thanks so much for sharing that, that I must look him up.

What's the most important life lesson you've learned?

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: So, I think it, it's humility and recognising one's own weakness and challenges.

Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Yeah, it's a good one. I thought you'd choose focus, but this is also a really good one because you sounded like you're extremely focused. You've got the eye on the goal, you're going to meet that vision.

If you could have one superpower. What would that be?

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: I think it will be the ability to increase knowledge and, and, and those I can influence because if, if you give out, food, clothes. I've been running a food bank for over nine years now, people will always need more.

But knowledge is power and scaling people could, could bring about a transformational shift.

Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thank you for sharing that. I have that personal experience from seeing, I worked with a slum-based charity in Delhi and the first generation that went to college. Parents have been in the slums. Children going to college, children getting good jobs, getting PhDs, and that is transforming the entire generation because they became role models. So, absolutely. Very, very good one.

Is there a funny story you'd like to ask like to share with listeners? And that could be something from Manchester, something from your work.

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: Well, funny story, I, remember in my, my second trip to the UK. in 2002 and it was in February. And I needed to go to Colchester and I had friends over there. Well, I mean, a friend was meant to have picked me up from the train station. And I had difficulty ringing this friend and, and so I had to spend a night in a telephone booth, but because I was quite naive and quite nervous.

I was in the phone booth , and whenever I heard, and this was in London by the way, and when I had the police car passing, then I'll pick up the handset as if I'm making a phone call because I was really frightened, of the police coming to interrogate me. Yeah, because clearly, when before you arrived, you gave the address of where you were going to live and all that and I was with my auntie and I was going to this friend in Colchester from London, but my friend wasn't picking up the phone.

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: So whenever I had the siren go, then I picked the handset as if I'm speaking to someone on the phone in, in one of those BT boots,

Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thank you. That's a good one.

That's all I have for today, so thanks so much, Charles. This is really fascinating and it's amazing how much impact CAHN has been able to make in this very short period. Five years is a short period of time for the life of a charity because you said 2017 to now. It's just really amazing.

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: Thanks Deepa. It's been a real privilege and having that opportunity to serve the community and I think the impact we've made, but also we continue to… As well as the work we are able to do wouldn't have been possible without the support of people of all races and backgrounds and creeds and sexuality and all that. And, it's been that intersectional approach. So whether it's engaging with disabled people's groups, the LGBQ+, it just goes on and on. And, it's that intersectional approach and, and building collaborations across all sectors. Those have been really instrumental in where we are.

Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thank you for sharing that. It's been so nice to talk to you.

Charles Kwaku-Odoi: Thank you. So massive thanks to you all for taking the time to listen and, thanks to Deepa for the opportunity.

Outro

Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Charles, I really enjoyed learning about supporting health and wellbeing.

Dear listener, thank you so much for listening to the ninth episode of the Meet the Mancunian Podcast, season four.

I hope this episode and the podcast itself encourages you to follow your passions inspired by the amazing Mancunian guests who feature here. Tune in every Tuesday for a new episode or log on to www.meetthemancunian.co.uk to listen to all the episodes and learn more about my podcasting story.

Next week on Tuesday 26th January 2020, the Meet the Mancunian podcast talks to Nidhi Sinha about integration. Please do leave a review or a voice message on my website, www.meetthemancunian.co.uk. It takes only a few minutes. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.