CFPHS Monthly Report – August 2009

The project aims to improve access to family planning and HIV/AIDS services in Malawi, particularly among marginalized communities. Advocacy efforts were a key focus in August 2009, with the organization of an advocacy conference on FP/HIV and AIDS services for Muslim Clerics. The conference, held on August 4th and 5th in Lilongwe, brought together senior Muslim religious leaders to discuss issues related to family planning, HIV/AIDS, and sexual reproductive health. The conference was opened by the American Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission and closed by the Honorable Minister of Health MP, demonstrating the importance of the initiative. The conference resulted in the creation of a platform for advocating for family planning and HIV/AIDS among Muslims. The Ministry of Health Reproductive Health Unit and the HIV/AIDS Unit presented papers on the status of FP and HIV/AIDS programs, highlighting the need to work with various social and religious groups to promote FP and HIV/AIDS services in Malawi. A total of 53 people attended the conference, with five presentations made on various topics, including the situation of SRH in Malawi and Islamic teaching and family planning. As a follow-up to the conference, CFPHS will assist QMAM and MAM to develop proposals for family planning and HIV/AIDS interventions among the Muslim communities. The project will also participate in regional, district, and community dawas (meetings of Muslim women groups) to ensure that resolutions made at the conference are translated into action. In addition to advocacy efforts, the project also focused on community-based activities, including the launch of Listening Club activities. The Zina Umanena radio drama was aired on all four radio stations during the month, with all clubs receiving radios and discussion guides to aid in club activities discussions. The listeners' Club officers will continue to offer technical support to the clubs to monitor smooth running of club activities. The project also distributed IEC materials developed for the radio drama series, including flyers, posters, radio spots advertising for the radio show, and OC inserts. The materials were distributed in batches according to the different themes as they were being aired on the radio. The printed materials were distributed through the MSH district coordinators, who in turn delivered the materials to CBDAs and the different health centers so that they can reach the target group in the communities. Community drama trainings were also conducted, with community members trained in staging twenty-minute community dramas to go along with the radio drama series. A total of 24 drama groups were identified and trained, with two community drama trainings conducted in Phalombe and Chikwawa districts. Capacity building trainings for Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) were also conducted, with a total of 85 people from 25 CBOs trained to motivate communities to access family planning and HIV/AIDS services. The trainings were designed to address the capacity gaps that exist in the CBO on family planning and HIV/AIDS issues. The project also conducted LTPM training for clinicians and nurses, with a total of 16 participants trained in LTPM. Eight clinicians and eight nurses were trained in jadelle insertions and removals, with a total of 84 clients having bilateral tubal ligation and 123 clients having jadelle insertion and 21 having jadelle removals. Finally, the project organized a one-week training for trainers of trainers (TOT) to equip trainers with knowledge and skills in fertility awareness methods, including the Standard Days Method (SDM). Fifteen participants were drawn from 8 MSH districts, with most of them being catechists, church counselors, or nurses from health centers owned by the Catholic Church. The participants developed workplans of what they are going to do after the training, with MSH District Coordinators working with them to implement the plans.