At the 2016 CCIH Annual Conference, Lauren Van Enk of the Institute for Reproductive Health discusses IRH's work in Rwanda and Uganda with faith-based organizations to help them increase their family planning services.

1. Objective
Strengthen the family planning
programs of select FBOs in Rwanda
and Uganda and expand their
method mix through the introduction
of effective, easy-to-use fertility
awareness-based methods

2. Where are all the
FBOs in family planning?
6
94
FBO facility All other sources
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
30
70
FBO facility
All other sources
25
75
FBO facility
All other sources
Source of Family Planning Source of General Health Services
RWANDA UGANDA

3. Uganda Protestant
Medical Bureau (UPMB)
CRS & Uganda Catholic
Medical Bureau (UCMB)
Action Familiale
Rwandaise (AFR)
Caritas Rwanda

4. Demand GenerationCapacity Building
Expanding Access Stakeholder Collaboration

5. Key Lessons

6.  Involving FBOs in
FP service delivery
increases uptake.
Lesson 1:

7. 0
2232
1319
980
2631
5320
4741
2204
5964
5085 4957
1165
UCMB UPMB Caritas AFR
2013 (Baseline) 2014 (Year 1) 2015 (Year 2*)
* Year 2 (2015) is 9 months, January - September
Total FP Uptake

8. 0
600
1200
1800
Baseline (2013) Year 1 (2014) Year 2* (2015)
* Year 2 (2015) is 9 months, January - September
UPMB: FP Uptake

9. Comparing services offered:
community & facility
FP uptake in project sites between January – September 2014
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
2013 2014 2015 2013 2014 2015 2013 2014 2015 2013 2014 2015
UCMB UPMB Caritas AFR
Facility Community

10.  FBOs can
meaningfully
engage men in
FP services.
Lesson 2:

11. “We used to have problems spacing children. When we
got the chance to use CycleBeads, we thought many
more people out there need this. What is lacking is the
information. Being Christians, we’re always encouraged
to give and help where we can afford it. Since we are
users, we became providers as a couple. Now we carry
out awareness together.”

13.  Religious leaders
are willing and
able to support FP.
Lesson 3:

14. “Some of my followers
at church ask: ‘How
come the message is
now different?’ This
issue (FP) needs
action and not mere
prayers, I keep
explaining.”
© 2005 Alexander Campbell, Courtesy of Photoshare

16.  FBOs can work
successfully with
MOH & other FP
partners.
Lesson 4:

17.  MOH request to
develop FAM module
in national training
curriculum
 MOH providers trained
by FBOs
 ASSIST Project request
to train providers on
FAM

18. Challenges

19.  Ensuring FBO
integration into
national level program
 Maintaining sensitivity
to FBO approaches,
esp. language
 Countering ongoing
bias against FAM
options

20. New project co-funded by BMGF
and Templeton Foundation
Expand activities to new sites with
partners in Uganda & Rwanda
(Templeton-only)
Strengthen collaboration with
religious leaders and FP stakeholders
Improve integration of Catholic
facilities into wider FP system
Strengthening Reproductive
Health Connections

21. Q: How can we use these
findings?
 Implement this model
with additional
Christian Health
Associations
 Invest in research
investigating the
connection between
religion and social
norms
 Develop a “Family
Planning Hub” with the
Joint Learning Initiative