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The right to health is a basic human right. Partnering with communities to provide access to socially and culturally appropriate prevention, treatment and care, which is affordable, non-discriminatory and non-stigmatizing, positively affects contributions made by individuals to society. Community partnerships and collaborations in public health research and practice are integral for sustaining healthy communities.

Saath's mission is to maximize the physical, mental and social health of individuals, families and communities through responsible public health research and practice. Our work reflects our core belief that all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, socio-economic status, and religion have the right to access quality health care and social services.

In Hindi, "saath" represents the notion of togetherness, unity, collaboration, and mutual support. Thus, our name reflects our commitment to forging meaningful partnerships and advancing the philosophy that together we can work towards better health outcomes for all people.

Saath was founded by Dr. Monika Doshi. Monika has over 20 years of experience in public health research and practice, working on projects in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. She received her PhD in Health Behavior and Health Education from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Monika holds a Master in Public Health and a Certificate in Health and Human Rights from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Learn More About Dr. Monika Doshi

Our Partners

We partner with domestic and international academic institutions and non-academic organizations on both publicly and privately funded public health research and practice around the world. We purposefully and consciously partner with clients who value ensuring that all voices within their partnering communities have equal representation and input into health initiatives by which they are impacted.

Saath has worked with:

Projects have been funded by the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative (Government of Canada and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (Yale University), GIZ, Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council (Canada), and the World Health Organization.

Where We Work

China

Project Name: Vaccine Acceptability among Stigmatized Populations in Asia and Africa Research Program

Brief Description: This multi-site, mixed-methods research study aims to examine the social and cultural issues related to introducing future HIV vaccines among female sex workers (FSWs) and men who have sex with men (MSM). Research findings will enable organizations working closely with FSWs/MSM to develop a community-based vaccination preparedness plan and advocacy strategy to demand ethical, culturally sensitive and affordable HIV vaccination programs for these communities.

Role: Provide scientific leadership and support on the research study, facilitate program meetings, develop elicitation research tools, perform literature reviews, develop survey measures, train country teams on data collection and related procedures, analyze qualitative and quantitative data and write reports, as well as manuscripts.

Funder: Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative (Government of Canada & Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)

India

Project Name: Vaccine Acceptability among Stigmatized Populations in Asia and Africa Research Program

Brief Description: This multi-site, mixed-methods research study aims to examine the social and cultural issues related to introducing future HIV vaccines among female sex workers (FSWs) and men who have sex with men (MSM). Research findings will enable organizations working closely with FSWs/MSM to develop a community-based vaccination preparedness plan and advocacy strategy to demand ethical, culturally sensitive and affordable HIV vaccination programs for these communities.

Role: Provide scientific leadership and support on the research study, facilitate program meetings, develop elicitation research tools, perform literature reviews, develop survey measures, train country teams on data collection and related procedures, analyze qualitative and quantitative data and write reports, as well as manuscripts.

Funder: Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative (Government of Canada & Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)

India

Kenya

Project Name: A South-to-South Collaborative Project to Understand & Address HIV Vulnerability of Male Sex Workers (MSWs) in Nairobi, Kenya   Brief Description: This 3-year project aims to (a) produce a reliable evidence base that can explain the individual, social, environmental, and structural factors that shape the HIV vulnerability of MSWs in Nairobi; and (b) to design and implement a community-based intervention that can address these various levels of vulnerability.   

Role: Co-develop project proposal for submission to CIHR; liaise with Kenyan health officials to garner support for project; screen, recruit, and train community researchers for the qualitative and quantitative research phases of the project; support development of qualitative data collection tools; develop quantitative data collection tool for both the project and for national implementation; assist with qualitative and quantitative data analysis; develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate a community-based intervention in partnership with local stakeholders; and assist with writing of final reports and academic manuscripts.   Funder: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) 

 Project Name: Vaccine Acceptability among Stigmatized Populations in Asia and Africa Research Program

Brief Description: This multi-site, mixed-methods research study aims to examine the social and cultural issues related to introducing future HIV vaccines among female sex workers (FSWs) and men who have sex with men (MSM). Research findings will enable organizations working closely with FSWs/MSM to develop a community-based vaccination preparedness plan and advocacy strategy to demand ethical, culturally sensitive and affordable HIV vaccination programs for these communities.

Role: Provide scientific leadership and support on the research study, facilitate program meetings, develop elicitation research tools, perform literature reviews, develop survey measures, train country teams on data collection and related procedures, analyze qualitative and quantitative data and write reports, as well as manuscripts.

Funder: Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative (Government of Canada & Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)

India

Project Name: Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Feasibility Study among FSWs in Mysore (India)
Brief Description: Funded by the WHO, this study examined the readiness and acceptability of a PrEP demonstration project among female sex workers.

Role: Saath developed the PrEP feasibility study proposal for Ashodaya Samithi, an internationally recognized organization comprised of male, female, and transgender sex workers, a leader in HIV prevention, care, and treatment, and a UNAIDS designated learning site for the Asia-Pacific region. Saath also finalized the quantitative data collection instrument for study implementation, trained field team on quantitative research and survey administration, and provided technical support and guidance during data collection.

Funder: World Health Organization

South Africa

United States

Testimonials

I had the pleasure of working with Monika on a community study to explore HIV risks among transgender populations. Her work was excellent and she contributed significantly to the study design, development of survey measures, procedures for recruitment, and processing of the data. Though the study was small, Monika demonstrated great capacity to work in community settings in a research capacity, with a mixed community/researcher study team, and to handle many complicated problems with data collection, management and analytical procedures. I highly recommend her as a consultant or collaborative partner for community research endeavors, particularly using survey and quantitative research methods.

Bringing her invaluable experience of having worked among marginalized communities exposed to HIV, Monika has been a tremendous resource on a collaborative project to develop capacity among health care workers and policy makers in promotion of the World Health Organisation guidelines for the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV among men who have sex with men and transgender populations. Enhancing Care Foundation has been impressed with the quality of Monika's work in the field of HIV, particularly in the areas of research, development of materials and contribution to the understanding of the complexities of HIV in the community. 

Saath has stood as a pillar of excellence on my international research program over the past two years by providing reliable, rigorous and meticulous research support services across diverse cultural contexts. I hope to continue to have their technical expertise on future projects.

From the day I first met Monika I was extremely impressed with her extensive knowledge, experience and dedication to the health issues of diverse communities. She combines both a professional and personal touch in her engagements that truly assure you the comfort and confidence of a project expertly executed. Monika provided extensive guidance and direction to our organization, CT TransAdvocacy Coalition, which proved invaluable in our ability to research and serve the diverse users of our community. I cannot think of a better consultant and truly have cherished her working relationship with our non-profit. 

My professional relationship with Monika spans over a decade. She has been a thorough professional, who has shown tremendous skills in research and program development, specifically in relation to the health of marginalized communities. Her analytical thinking and sharp mind brings to focus several un-addressed issues in health and thereby bringing them to the forefront. The University of Manitoba still seeks her out for assignments that are cutting edge and critical for the advancement of health sciences. 

I have had the pleasure of working with Monika on several projects. She has excellent analytic and writing skills and a strong professional ethic. She is flexible and loves connecting with people in communities, as well as service providers and policy makers. I give her my highest recommendation as a consultant. 

Contact Us

If you are interested in learning more, please contact us.

West Hartford, Connecticut
USA
+1-860-833-1566
info@saath.co