What we did
Together with our partners, we enabled and empowered women and communities with the knowledge, resources, and support they needed to thrive.
Our focus areas were:
Maternal and Newborn Health
Our community health groups combated preventable diseases, saving countless lives. We saw a 49% reduction in maternal mortality and a 33% reduction in newborn mortality.
Sexual and Reproductive Health
We empowered young women to make informed decisions and exercise their rights. Through healthy relationship building, our groups contributed to a 25% increase in contraceptive use.
Children’s Health
Our programmes empowered parents and caregivers with knowledge on nutrition, danger signs, and positive changes, ultimately saving children's lives.
What made us different
We have learnt how best to support local communities. They want to be empowered to come up with their own answers.
So that was our role.
Communities have control
We provided framework and guidance around how to organise effective groups. Communities decide what issues are most important to them – and come up with their own effective solutions.
It’s evidence-based
Over 25 years of running groups showed their incredible effectiveness to halve maternal mortality and reduce newborn mortality by a third. It’s been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
It’s sustainable
Over 80% of groups carry on meeting once our projects finish. They drive long-term, meaningful changes to the health of women, children, and communities on an ongoing basis.
Our impact
For 25 years, we’ve empowered women across Africa, Latin America, and South Asia by delivering community health groups in partnership with local organisations:
5,000+
community health groups set up around the world.
6,500+
women, children and babies lives saved.
12 million
people reached in the most rural, remote communities.
16
different countries where we set up health groups.
Where we worked
Women & Children First was delivering projects in:
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We worked with partners and the Ethiopian government to embed our community group approach in the national health system. We adapted groups to support women in hard-to-reach agrarian and pastoralist communities.
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We enhanced children’s toys with health information for caregivers, including danger signs of illnesses, bringing together play with learning, through 5 kindergartens in Bolgatanga district.
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We established 10 new groups to support adolescent girls with knowledge and skills to improve their sexual and reproductive health, via Afya’s medical centres.
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We used 280 community health groups with radio programming to support teenage girls and young women with their sexual and reproductive health issues – and how they can overcome them.
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We set up community health groups to empower people living with disabilities, working with them to improve the access to the healthcare they need.
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We adapted community health groups to improve child nutrition among Bengali-speaking communities in Tower Hamlets, including recipe books and talks in local primary schools.
REAL LIFE STORIES
Thokozani’s story
“The group (set up by Women & Children First) has assisted me so very much. If I was not a member of this group, I couldn’t have saved the life of my baby.”
Our partners
Women & Children First worked with our trusted local partners to support communities in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the UK.
News
Discover inspiring stories and exciting updates in our news section.
