MUTARE– A nongovernmental organization working on adolescent health rights has mobilized a sizeable fund for Adolescent Reproductive Sexual Health in two districts.
Plan International provincial program unit manager, Stanislaus Dawa made this revelation at a recent quarterly Provincial ARSH Forum where he reiterated their commitment to support sustainable intervention programs.
“We have received a total package of $600 000 from our United Kingdom partners to support ARSH work in two districts, Chipinge and Chiredzi. The interest that this thematic area has attracted means that we will continue to be part of this thematic area,” he said.
Dawa said his organization will continue to support ARSH programs across the province in partnerships with implementing stakeholders.
“As far as the province is concerned we have a number of activities lined up to benefit the province and improve strategies of advocacy in the area of ARSH.
“In 2017 it might be a difficult year but we are coming to fund one quarterly meeting, since 2014 we have been implementing and supporting RSH programs in two districts of Chipinge and Chiredzi, while the funds might dwindle we hope this forum is sustained,” he said.
Dawa urged partners to device resource mobilization strategies in the face of donor fatigue, calling for partnership and alliances among implementing stakeholders.
He also said through this approach of combined efforts, Plan had secured funding for a three years intervention project, in partnership with Simukai Child Protection and Justice for Children Trust, to curb child marriages in the province.
“We have also secured funding for three years for a program against early child marriages with a consortium of organization working in this programming area. Under this program we will be working with Simukai Child Protection We will launch the program 18+ in the near future.
“We are there to complement ZNFPC and Min of Health to meet their obligations, there is a lot that can be done empower youths and assist in the realization of programming activities,” he said.
Meanwhile Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) has released statistic of contraception use in the province, which reveal that unmarried couples use more than married counterparts.
ZNFPC provincial marketing and advocacy manager Daniel Maromo said there was need to provide more education on contraception as the province recorded a low contraceptive use.
He said the unmet need for girls in urban set ups for active unmarried youths is higher than rural areas, calling for the intervention of partners.
“These statistics clearly show that unmarried youths are engaging in sexual activities and we cannot afford to ignore them.
“Contraceptive use among married women has increased to 67 % since the 2010-11 survey when the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) was 59 %.66% of these women use modern methods & 1 % use traditional methods.
“68 % of sexually active unmarried women(15-49) use a contraceptive method and their choice of method mix differs from that of married women: 27 % use male condoms, 16 % use the pill, 14 % use implants, and 8 % use injectables,” he said.
