Member Associations

The Planned Parenthood Association of Sierra Leone (PPASL), established in 1959, works on a range of serious sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues to improve people's health and quality of life. A key focus is to improve access to maternal health care, to reduce the risk of maternal and infant death. PPASL accesses the community through 5 service points, 12 workplace outreach projects, and 3 youth centres, via a 40-strong permanent staff team, backed by nearly 300 volunteers, 9 community-based distributors (CBDs) and a Youth Action Movement membership of 150. There is a 90% prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the country, and finding ways to handle the attendant psychological and physical trauma is one of the organization’s major challenges. Much of PPASL’s work is directed towards behaviour change communication (BCC) among community leaders, police and army personnel and Muslim and Christian groups. Safe motherhood, family planning, and the sensitisation of young people to SRH concerns are also central to the direct services which PPASL provides.    The Member Association works in partnership with government health and development ministries and the Sierra Leone Armed Forces Hospitals. Non-governmental organization (NGO) partners include the Reproductive Health Service, CHASL, MSSL, National AIDS Secretariat/SHARP and the Marie Stopes Society. PPASL receives financial support from UNFPA, UNICEF, UNAIDS, the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, Plan International, MOHS & RH UNIT, Marie Stopes Society, SL Red Cross Society and Action Aid. 

SECS was founded in 1990 with the help of the IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation) to meet the needs of information, education and service provision in the fields of sexuality and family planning. Since then, the SECS has continued to militate for reproductive rights and reproductive health in Romania. Over the years, SECS has been an educator, opinion leader and pioneer in providing family planning services. Through its mobilization programmes, the organization has succeded in catalisying governamental organisations and non-governamental organisations from 11 urban communities to create sustainable partnerships (Local Coordination Groups) who have developed and implemented their own local plans for educating disadvantaged population through the local community resources. SECS promotes through its programmes the importance of local partnerships to being the key to identify the existing needs and the sustainable solutions for implementing them. SECS played a major role in the National Family Planning Program and supported the creation of a coherent network of supporters of reproductive health in Romania. Our organization holds the position of national leader in family planning programs, and for seven years has been a partner for Head of the Ministry of Health in initiation, implementation and monitoring of The National Family Planning Program in the health reform process. Through this program SECS has provided technical assistance for the Public Health Authorities of all the counties of the country and in collaboration with them has contributed to the medical continuum education process of 5,300 family doctors and 4,000 medical schools nurses in rural areas. Believing that that the population's access to information and education must be one continuous process, the SECS initiated Community mobilization and training programmes both in rural and urban areas, strategic and sustainable programmes.  Key areas of expertise: Providing technical assistance in initiation, implementation, monitoring and program evaluation, both at the national and international level, training of medical staff in family planning, financial management of medical offices. Adult education (communication,fundraising, growing the level of awareness on some community issues, volunteering, advocacy, respect for sexual and reproductive rights for humans with special needs). Training peer educators both for young people and for adults, community mobilization programs through developing multi-sectoral groups and optimal use of local resources. Logistic system development and implementation for monitoring the distribution of some products within public health programs, communication campaigns who are targeting behaviour change. Advocacy programs. Understanding the reproductive health needs of people living with learning disabilities.