Planned Parenthood Association of Sierra Leone (PPASL) was established in 1959.
The main task of Planned Parenthood Association of Sierra Leone (PPASL) was to help counter the high fertility rate by assisting women to access family planning.
But the conflict and other factors have made us expand the scope of our work to offer comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services that target:
- young people in particular
- pregnant women
- fishermen
- community leaders
- police and army personnel
- Muslims and Christian groups
Services provided include:
- family planning
- counseling on various SRH issues
- information, education and behaviour change communication materials
Adolescent SRH services are offered in youth and outreach centres by peer educators.
The other main work of PPSAL is to advocate for SRH rights, particularly of young people, and reduction of maternal mortality and morbidity using a safe motherhood model clinic, that targets traditional birth attendants and healers.
We have seen demand for our services grow steadily.
In 2007, a total of 27,066 clients were served, and 63,359 contraceptives given to clients, of which 22,165 went to partner organizations.
The staggering maternal mortality rate of 2,000; low modern contraceptive prevalence of 4 per cent; over 80 per cent of abortion procured unsafely; high total fertility rate of 6.5; and over 90 per cent prevalence of female genital cutting cases, are some of the major problems in the country that PPSAL has to help solve.
Service delivery points
4 branches and 4 clinics
Members of governing body
9 (3 women)
Staff and volunteers
40 staff (25 are women) and 274 volunteers (older adults 124 and young people 150)
Voluntary counselling and testing sites
1
Youth centres
3
Members of Young Action Movement
150
Community-based distributors
9
Workplace outreach
MSSL, WFP, CARE –SL, HOSPICE, SWAASL, PLWHAs and their families, MYS, GOAL. Action for Development- SL and YWDO, Chiefs and Community members.
Partnerships
Government: MOHS, MEST, MYS, MODEP, Sierra Leone Armed Forces Hospital
NGOs: Reproductive Health Service, CHASL, MSSL, National AIDS Secretariat/SHARP, Marie Stopes Society.
Donors: UNFPA, UNICEF, UNAIDS, Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, Plan International, MOHS & RH UNIT, Marie Stopes Society, SL Red Cross Society, Action Aid
CCM: PPASL is a member
Networks: MSWGAC, UNAIDS, MEDIA Alliance, Parliamentarians, NGOs