Balaka youths commend out reach health project
Youths in traditional authorities (T/As) Amidu and Kalembo in Balaka District have commended Family Planning Association of Malawi (Fpam) for conducting mobile clinics on sexual and reproductive health services.
They said this on Wednesday during a media tour to assess the impact of Her Future, Her Choice Project that Oxfam in Malawi is implementing through its partners Fpam, Network for Youth Development (NFYD) and Centre for Alternatives for Victimised Women and Children (Cavwoc) in the district.
Iswillah Youth Club chairperson Adam Muhammad said the mobile clinics are helpful because most health centres have limited access to sexual and reproductive health services, including contraceptives.
He said: “Again, most health facilities are far away and for us to reach our nearby heath facility at Namanolo, we spend K6000 on transport.
“As such, we have to wait for outreach clinics Fpam conducts twice per month for contraceptives.”
Mkaweya Youth Club member Zainab Daud,19, said Her Future, Her Choice Project has also encouraged girls to venture into economic activities.
“Most girls in our area sleep with men due to poverty. However, the project has empowered girls with business skills. I opened a grocery shop to support myself,” she said.
Fpam nursing officer Meria Wella said they also trained community-based distribution agents to provide condoms and pills to the youth.
“We also trained healthcare workers on youth-friendly health services and on post-abortion care,” she said.
Ulongwe Health Centre in-charge Geoffrey Chipanga said they used to record over 20 teenage pregnancies a month but the mobile clinics have improved access to contraceptives.
Cavwoc project coordinator Rightwell Nyirenda said they engaged traditional leaders to dispel misinformation and myths on family planning services.
The project is funded by the Global Affairs Canada through Oxfam Canada
