Improving “Kyautatawa Iyali” in Nigeria

Aug. 25, 2008—In Africa’s most populous nation of Nigeria, families continue to struggle to ensure mothers survive pregnancy and childbirth, and that their children survive and thrive.

Nigerian women have a 1 in 18 lifetime risk of dying in childbirth, among the highest risk in the world. The risk is especially great in northern Nigeria, where early marriage and child bearing, closely spaced and frequent pregnancies, inadequate health care and the lack of family planning and reproductive health services take a heavy toll on women’s health.

Since 2001, CEDPA has been working to improve reproductive health in the northern Nigeria states of Bauchi, Kano and Plateau through its “Kyautatawa Iyali,” or Family Welfare project.

Working hand-in-hand with faith-based organizations and community groups, CEDPA engages families and entire communities, through religious and community leaders, to recognize the benefits of family planning for improved health and the need to meet the reproductive health needs of young people.

A hallmark of the program is the delivery of door-to-door information and services to families. Teams of community health extension workers, known as CHEWs, dressed in white uniforms and armed with a kit of teaching tools go out into communities each day to provide family planning information and services.

CHEWs educate their communities in Nigeria about the importance of family planning and reproductive health care.

These young, dedicated health workers go from house to house, talking to men and women, old and young, about the importance of family planning and reproductive health care for the well-being of women and families. Often, male and female CHEWS work together so they can talk with both husbands and wives about their health concerns.

In Kano, which is predominately Muslim, CHEWS are paired with volunteer traditional birth attendants who are trusted community members that can reach women secluded from public life. These volunteers have long-standing relationships with families because of their role in assisting with births and infant care.

In addition to providing information and services, the Family Welfare project works to increase awareness, acceptance and use of reproductive health services. Peer educators reach out to young people, including married adolescents, and men are engaged by tapping respected male figures such as Imams and government leaders to reach out to members of their communities.

To date, CEDPA and its partners have reached more than 370,000 people directly with family planning services, and over 700,000 people with educational information through interpersonal talks, home visits, mass media, and public events and rallies. And, almost 2,000 community leaders have been tapped to raise support for improved reproductive health.

The program will continue through 2010, with special attention to building the capacity of CEDPA’s local partners so that each can carry on the important work of improving family health—and saving the lives of mothers and their children.

CEDPA’s Family Welfare project has been made possible through the generous support of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Read more about our projects in Nigeria.

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