Protecting East African children and families from harm caused by extreme heat and drought
Official title: The Anga Center for Community Health and Well-being
Funded at Columbia Univ New York Morningside · NIH-11417052 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Working with East African communities to find practical ways to reduce health harms from heatwaves and drought for children and families.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia Univ New York Morningside NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 23, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $49,303 |
| NIH project number | 3P20TW012808-02S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11417052 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Residents of at-risk East African communities, especially children, families, and local health workers in areas affected by heatwaves and drought, are the ideal participants.
✕Less likely to help
People living outside the targeted East African communities or those not exposed to extreme weather are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
This center brings together researchers and local communities in East Africa to study how extreme weather like heatwaves and drought affects health and well-being. Teams will collect community-level information, health data, and local knowledge, and work with residents to design and test practical interventions. The project emphasizes sustained community engagement, transdisciplinary methods, and building local resilience to reduce disaster-related displacement. Activities may include surveys, community workshops, pilot programs, and collaborations with local health centers and leaders.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to practical community-based actions that reduce heat- and drought-related illness and prevent displacement.
How similar studies have gone: Some community-based and heat-health programs have shown promise elsewhere, but combining transdisciplinary research with long-term community co-design in East Africa is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia Univ New York Morningside
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Winter, Samantha C. — Columbia Univ New York Morningside
- Study coordinator: Winter, Samantha C.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.