Family planning is a vital component of the health and well-being of any population. As an organization, one of our core responsibilities is to ensure the overall safety and well-being of women and girls, and family planning is a crucial part of that. This is because of the effect it has on the health of the mother and child. We do this through different means ranging from education to empowerment, etc., with the media as one of our major tools of advocacy.
To help address the issue of family planning and especially the barriers towards it in Ondo State, Rhealyz Africa partnered with Family Empowerment Media (FEM), a media-based organization focused on closing the knowledge gap through clear, compelling, and accurate communication.
A stakeholder’s workshop was organized where we brought in different stakeholders across the state to create awareness of the Rhealyz-FEM plan for the state. The workshop, which was held on November 30, had different stakeholders across Ondo State (doctors, nurses, NGOs, marriage counselors, lawyers, Olamide Falana, Special Adviser on Gender to the Ondo State Governor, and members of the Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (OSPHCDA)) identify some of the barriers to family planning in Ondo State.
It was such an interesting and interactive session in which the stakeholders actively contributed to the discussion on addressing barriers to family planning in Ondo State.
A radio jingle was later aired for one week on CREST 106.1FM with 10 jingles per day, after which we had a feedback survey to check the impact of the radio jingle on people within the state. The partnership has been worthwhile as we have been able to discover that this is one issue that a lot of people have longed for awareness to become more prominent, seeing the economic situation of the country and the need to ensure the safety and health of the mother and child.
In conclusion, the Rhealyz Africa-Family Empowerment Media Partnership was an effective action taken to address some of the barriers to family planning in Ondo State. Through the stakeholders’ workshop, radio airing, and survey, it successfully raised awareness about the need for family planning and how it can greatly benefit individuals and families. This project proved that by working together, we can make a positive impact on our communities even with limited resources.
