| 31 March 2016
Mauritius Family Planning & Welfare Association
Established in 1957 as a grass-root movement, the Mauritius Family Planning & Welfare Association (MFPWA) was one of the earliest organizations in Africa focusing on family planning issues. As the nation struggled to find a way to address pressing population issues, a group of advocates formed MFPWA and started to provide contraceptive services directly to women. In 2018 the MFPWA is governed by an Act of Parliament 2018 as a body corporate. Today, the organization caters for the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of the whole community. It also has particular strands of activity relating to specific groups including sexually abused children, elderly people, men and marginalized populations on Rodrigues and Agalega Islands. MFPWA has 30 staff and 50 volunteers and offers services through 2 permanent facilities and several service points. It also runs a day care centre for infants and children as a social enterprise initiative. The Association delivers services that include family planning, the prevention and management of HIV through voluntary counselling and testing, infertility management, antenatal and post-natal care, post-abortion care, the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and screening for cancers of the reproductive systems in particular breast, cervical and prostate. The Association began its first rehabilitation of sexually abused children in 2003 and has built a solid reputation in the domain. Services for the rehabilitation of victims of gender based violence had been extended to Rodrigues Island on a pilot basis in 2019. The Member Association also operates peer-educator-led outreach programmes targeting work places, namely: hotels, manufacturing industries, call centres, male-dominated sectors such as transport, police, agriculture and fisheries. MFPWA has played a critical role in promoting the integration of comprehensive sexuality education into the national school curriculum and its powerful, informed advocacy has been influential in shaping government’s agenda and policies on SRH and population issues. MFPWA partners with and advises government departments which address health, quality of life, women’s rights, child development, family welfare, social security and youth and sports. MFPWA works with a large number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), para-statal and government institutions and international partners like UNFPA, Help Age International and the European Union.
| 31 March 2016
Uzazi na Malezi Bora Tanzania
Chama cha Uzazi na Malezi Bora Tanzania (UMATI) is an autonomous, non-political national NGO providing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) information, education, and services in Tanzania. It was established in 1959 and became a full IPPF Member Association in 1973. Since then, it has developed a comprehensive range of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for Tanzanian young people. UMATI invests in the provision of gender responsiveness SRH services youth and women empowerment, and evidence-based advocacy through result-based projects implemented in 20 regions in Tanzania Mainland, and Zanzibar. UMATI recognizes that AGYW and ABYM experience different health needs and risks especially those related to HIV, STIs, and sexual gender-based violence. UMATI’s SRH programmes are developed based on the unmet need and government priorities and its SRH and FP service delivery has always been targeting the hard-to-reach communities, socially excluded and under-served people especially women, girls, and young people, and the key population. UMATI empowers adolescents and young people (10-24) to realize and demand their SRHR for effective utilization of the services. The Association, through the Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) approach, reaches young people with knowledge, skills, and Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) messages to freely access services at UMATI clinics, youth centers, and selected government facilities. Different approaches are used to reach adolescents and youth such as peer education sessions, IEC/BCC Materials, debate, health talk/dialogues, folk media, social media, radio, TV, e-sessions, community forum/dialogues, community meetings, and SRH service outreaches. UMATI collaborates with the Ministry of Health and Local Government Authorities to provide SRH services through 943 service points which include its own 5 permanent clinics and seven youth centers and support 391 community-based distributors/community-based services (CBDs/CBSs). UMATI’s SRH programmes are effectively maintained and delivered by 76 committed staff, 340 peer educators and a youth action movement membership of 400 activists. UMATI receives funding support for its programmes from donors and partners such as Youth Incentives, Pathfinder International, PLAN International, UKAIDS, She Decides, UNICEF, UNFPA, Bills & Melinda Gates Foundation, Health Action International, SIMAVI, BERGSTROM Foundation, ZENSHO, and ActionAid Tanzania.