About Us
Excellence, Integrity, Dignity, and Respect.
Be Part was founded in 2006 with a focus on clinical trials and HIV prevention research. Over time, we have expanded to include research on trending infectious diseases (TB, influenza, RSV, COVID-19, etc.) and chronic illnesses affecting the communities in the Drakenstein sub-district. In addition, we have worked to empower women in their fight against HIV, provided voluntary counselling & testing (VCT) and supported the youth through various projects.
As a dynamic research centre with a team of diversely skilled professionals and community-based support staff,
we pride ourselves on our ability to participate in large-scale research projects. Our clinical team has particular
expertise in HIV/AIDS and other viral treatments; infectious disease prevention; vaccine trials; as well as the management of patients presenting with chronic lifestyle-related conditions. In the absence of a safe and effective HIV/AIDS vaccine, early diagnosis and treatment with multiple prevention strategies, are likely to be the most effective ways of combatting HIV.
Capacity
Building
Be Part’s workplace objective is to provide job opportunities and training for members of the community whose opportunities are limited in the context of high unemployment.
19 of our clinical support and community outreach staff are from Mbekweni. Following the training and work experience within health and research provided at Be Part, 12 full-time staff members and 30 part-time workers (who had been unemployed matriculants) have moved on to become permanent employees within corporate and state sectors.
We hope to have contributed to developing dependable, trustworthy and energetic people who are employable in the South African workforce. We currently run a youth project with similar objectives.
To date we have successfully recruited participants from the wider Drakenstein sub-district which stretches from Hermon to the farm areas outside Franschhoek. Key recruitment areas include Wellington, Dal Josafat, Paarl East, and Mbekweni where our research centre is situated and from which most participants hail. Including participants from poorly researched communities improves the validity of clinical research outcomes.
Unemployment, poverty and other socio-economic and health-related issues like HIV and TB, are some of the main concerns that impact people living in these areas. Working within such communities helps us to identify many of the challenges which predominantly adversely affect the youth and those living with chronic illnesses.
Be Part has access to a large pool of trial participants through the five local primary health care clinics. We pride ourselves on excellent recruitment and retention outcomes and believe this is directly related to our knowledge about, and close relationship with, the communities we serve - as well as the support of a Community Advisory Group (CAG).