{An Australian-funded scheme is saving and transforming lives in Rwanda’s Gicumbi district. }
With funding from the Australian Government, World Vision has improved the health of more than 4,000 women and children. The funding provides modern family planning methods, child vaccinations, and safe and clean baby delivery services.
“Our work to help Rwandan women improve their lives is very important to Australia,” said John Feakes, Australia’s High Commissioner to Rwanda. “Giving birth in Rwanda can be risky for mothers and their children, not enough children are vaccinated, and women still do not have equal access to farming income. Strong support to Rwandan people working in these fields will improve the situation for thousands of Rwandan women and their children.”
Australian-supported NGO work with private sector healthcare clinics to provide sustainable, cost-effective sexual and reproductive health services. An increase in access to health services means women can make informed decisions on the family planning methods they want. Being able to control how many children they have saves women’s lives and gives them greater control over education for themselves and their children.
In Gicumbi district, mothers and children receive essential health care services. The strengthening of community level health systems through partnership with the Ministry of Health supports 312 Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) to create awareness on key health and nutrition messages. The messages include encouraging delivery by a skilled birth attendant, importance of breastfeeding, and use of nutritious locally available foods. This has resulted to an increase in community members taking up maternal and child health services leading to reduced mortality and healthier communities.
“I thank God and Epiphanie, our CHV in charge of pregnant mothers and newborns in Marembo village. She sacrificed herself to come to visit me at home until I safely delivered at Rutare Health Centre. As it was my first time to get pregnant, I did not know anything about it, but I was helped until I delivered,” says Divine, a first-time mother in Gicumbi district.
World Vision’s work with communities in rural and remote areas of Gicumbi district contributes to greater use of health services by women and children. Prior to community sensitisation, women would hide their use of modern family planning methods from their husbands. Now more men are freely discussing family planning and supporting their wives to access sexual and reproductive health services. This has resulted to more couples using a variety of family planning, thereby reducing family conflict and improving maternal health.
The Australia Africa Community Engagement Scheme (AACES) is implemented in Rwanda by World Vision Rwanda.
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