| 31 March 2016
Family Planning Association of Malawi
When it was founded in 1999, the Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM) focused on providing family planning services. As the organization has evolved, it has both refined and expanded its operation. Today, FPAM targets young people primarily, and reaches out to under-served rural communities. As a result, it operates 64 service points, including 53 mobile sexual and reproductive health (SRH) facilities and 4 static clinics. Its community-based distributor/services (CBDs/CBSs) profile is also very strong with 65 additional delivery points. As ever with IPPF Member Associations, the mix of outlets and approaches is very much led by the particular demographic and geographic needs of the country. FPAM also provides youth-friendly SRH information, education and behaviour change communication materials to young people at 4 youth centres, and through schools. Peer educators use group discussions, theatre performances, publications and audio-visual materials produced by community reproductive health promoters to pass on the message about good SRH practice and access to resources. The distribution of contraceptives, pregnancy testing, the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) for HIV are core to FPAM’s clinic activity. For its successful operation, the organization depends on a team of 46 full-time staff and over 600 volunteers. Over the years, FPAM has forged partnerships with health, family and youth departments in government, to advocate forward-thinking national SRH policies. It works with a variety of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) including the Malawi Girl Guides Association and Banja La Mtsogolo. Financing support comes from UNFPA, IPPF’s Japan Trust Fund, the Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP), UNICEF, National AIDS Commission, GTZ, and Youth Incentives. FPAM also networks with other SRH-focused groups, particularly in the fields of HIV and AIDS and youth issues.
| 09 December 2020
Papua New Guinea Family Health Association
The Papua New Guinea Family Health Association (PNGFHA) was established in 1981 and registered in the same year under Section 7 of the Associations Incorporation Act, Papua New Guinea. PNGFHA became an IPPF Collaborative Partner in 2001 and then an Associate Member, approved at the December 2020 Board of Trustees meeting. The Association's Head Office was originally based in Lae, Morobe, but was relocated to the capital Port Moresby, in 2015. PNGFHA currently operates across 8 static clinics in Port Moresby (3), Lae, Markham and Bulolo (Morobe Province), Goroka (Eastern Highlands Province), and Kokopo (East New Britain Province), and are operated from facilities provided either by the Provincial Health or the district authorities. PNGFHA has a staff of 25, both clinical and non-clinical, and is supported by an extensive network of volunteers. Each clinic has regular outreach services to remote populations, providing safe and confidential SRH services and raising awareness. In 2021, PNGFHA delivered 220,038 SRH services to 53,497 clients, more than 90 per cent of whom were poor/ vulnerable. The clinics provide a wide range of SRH services including STI and HIV awareness, family planning, responding to cases of gender-based violence, and counselling. Legal services for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) are also provided due to need. Other programs include the youth/adolescence comprehensive sexuality education with out-of-school and in-school youths. Various outreach programs such as mobile clinics and awareness have also been implemented in partnership with local Provincial Health authorities. Currently PNGFHA have 3 furnished operational youth centres and youth clinic which provide support for the youth volunteer network, community outreach, CSE both in and out of school. Youth friendly spaces offer youth the opportunity to access information, receive counselling and a friendly safe space where young people can meet and share ideas. The youth friendly clinic provides access to quality and relevant youth centred SRH services and referrals, in the case of SGBV, by staff that are sensitive and trained to dealing with young people. Outreach involves activities mostly identified by the young people themselves, ranging from awareness in a school settings and communities, during a community event, community and government organised activities such as cultural shows and sports events. Through outreach events, trained youths are able to reach out to their peers and motivate them to access more information and services.