BHFA is a five-year USAID-funded project, launched in 2022 by Pathfinder International as the lead implementer, with Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN) as one the consortium partners, including Chemonics International, Greenstar Social Marketing (GSM) and Research and Development Solutions (RADS). The program will operate in 37 districts of Sindh & KPK provinces. BHFA aims to improve access to essential healthcare services in Pakistan, including quality family planning (FP) and maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) services. BHFA will utilize a Health System Strengthening (HSS) approach to strengthen FP/MNCH services, focusing on supporting interventions such as policy advocacy, demand creation and referral mechanism towards service providers.
RSPN’s contribution in advancing BHFA program:
The Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN) draws strength from the active presence of RSPs within 152 districts across Pakistan in the form of social capital. This social capital is exemplified by a three-tier social mobilization structure.
At the grassroots level, communities are organized into Community Organizations (COs). Members of these COs are then federated into Village Organizations (VOs), and these VOs are further federated into union council level organizations known as Local Support Organizations (LSOs).
RSPN has sub-awarded BHFA to Rural Support Programmes (RSPs), namely Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO), Thardeep Rural Development Programme (TRDP), Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) and National Rural Support Programme (NRSP). These RSPs will contribute to the overall project objectives, which involve community engagement and social mobilization for capacity building, awareness, and behavioral change through induction of positive and healthy practices in 18 districts of Sindh and 19 districts of KPK. RSPs staff will mobilize communities to get support for all initiatives under the BHFA within their respective communities, mainly in the areas where LHW coverage is less than 60%.
RSPN’s robust efforts will also contribute to achieve empowered men and youth to communicate about the demand and use of essential health care products and services. Community engagement will align with BHFA’s Social and Behavior Change (SBC) approach that revolves around the participation of married couples, youth, pregnant and lactating women, and men of reproductive age through awareness sessions about Family Planning (FP) and Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH). The focus will also include community awareness through martial counseling, supporting mental health, with emphasis on Nutrition, Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) as cross cutting themes. These sessions will aim to create demand and generate referrals for the uptake of family planning services.
