The David & Lucile Packard Foundation
The Foundation has been one of the long-term funding partner of FGAE. Apart from its financial and technical assistance, Packard has remained our mentor and coach by funding organizational development audits. The adolescent and youth centered sexual & reproductive health (AYSRH) project was a three year project (2017-2020) financed by the David & Lucile Packard Foundation and implemented by FGAE. It was implemented in southwestern Oromia region in five selected zones encompassing 30 woredas, i.e., 5 woredas in Jimma zone, 7 woredas in west Wolega zone, 9 woredas in east Wolega zone, 6 woredas in Ill-Ababora (Mettu) zone, and 3 woredas in southeast Shoa (Wolisso zone). It is implemented with a financial outlay of 2 million USD converted in local currency. For the successful implementation of the project, FGAE deployed 53 professionals engaged in clinical and program activities. Also, 5 FGAE clinics of varied status, 38 public and private schools, 10 private and public higher learning institutions, 5 workplaces, and 53 family health network clinics (FHNCs) have been used as playing grounds to facilitate the smooth implementation of the project.
The project had three major objectives that are believed to contribute to the creation of empowered and healthy adolescents and youth who are free to make informed choice concerning their SRH rights. The three objectives include:
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- Creating access to SRH information to 90% (more than 970,000) of adolescents and youth in the targeted communities;
- Creating access to comprehensive, integrated, quality & friendly SRH services to 70% (more than 750,000) of adolescents and youth in the targeted communities; and
- Ensuring improved documentation and communication of best and promising practices and lessons as a result of the project’s intervention.
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Adolescents & youth under the age category of 10 up to 24 years were the primary targets of the project. They consist of students from grade 5 to freshman, young people with different forms of disability, out-of-school youth, young mothers, seasonal and casual workers in emerging risky corridors and large scale workplaces, youth engaged in transactional sex, street children, and others. The primary target groups are the direct users of the project’s SRH knowledge (empowerment) and SRH service provision activities.
The secondary target groups of the project include teachers & parents, associations of people with disabilities, religious and community leaders, journalists & community volunteers, health professionals, private & public health facilities, as well as bar owners, pimps and brokers. The secondary target groups of the project are the facilitators for the smooth implementation of the project. They have got different kinds of capacity building services from the project ranging from tailored trainings to material and financial provisions.
The project has outlined a number of implementation strategies and approaches for the successful realization of its activities. Strengthening community support, enhancing networking and partnership, providing comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), preparing and disseminating adolescents & youth friendly IEC/SBCC materials, arranging sensitization and awareness raising programs using various platforms such as mini-media, community radio, FM radio, social media (Facebook & Twitter), and peer to peer education were the main implementation strategies for realizing the first objective of the project – i.e. – creating access to SRH information.
