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.  Contacts Website: www.ppasl.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/454639337890032/

The Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka (FPASL) complements Sri Lanka’s government health services with 5,300 services points: 6 permanent facilities, 6 mobile units and thousands of community-based distributors/services (CBDs/CBSs). It focuses on reaching the most vulnerable groups in society. Clinics offer a comprehensive range of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. These include contraception, counselling, diagnostic services, HIV and STI screening and voluntary counselling and testing (VCT). FPA Sri Lanka works closely both with the Ministry of Health and decentralized government agencies. The government recognizes FPA Sri Lanka as one of the ‘mother’ non-governmental organizations (NGOS), working in SRH, nurturing smaller NGOs across the country. The Member Association promotes family planning as a basic human right. It addresses key SRH and relationship issues faced by young people via school and youth-centre based workshops and through the Happy Life Contact Centre. This centre provides information on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) to the general public through a range of new media tools). FPA Sri Lanka advocates to increase political commitment to reproductive health education (with political and religious leaders). It promotes female empowerment, it seeks to eradicate unsafe abortion and liberalise abortion laws, and it aims to foster community involvement in projects. Additionally, it runs regular training sessions for staff, volunteers and personnel from outside organizations working in the SRH field. FPA Sri Lanka has developed a highly successful contraceptive retail sales programme, backed by major media campaigns, supplying around 60% of the condoms and 90% of the oral contraceptives sold in Sri Lanka.   Contacts Website: www.fpasrilanka.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fpasrilanka Twitter: https://twitter.com/FPA_SriLanka