GOAL

To Improve The Reproductive Health Status Of The Population In The Project Zones.

Objectives

1. To increase access to FP services
2. To decrease maternal and infant morbidity and mortality.
3. To reduce incidence of HIV/AIDS and STDs.

Components Of The Project

. Promotion And Provision Of Family Planning Services.
. Reducing Maternal And Infant Morbidity And Mortality
. Reducing The Incidence Of HIV/AIDS And Other STDS And
. Working Towards Eradicating Harmful Traditional Practices
. Provision Of Adolescent Reproductive Health Education is the main components of the program in addition to many other services rendered.

This Community Based Reproductive Health (CBRH) program, financially supported by David & Lucile Packard Foundation, is well underway in South Wollo, North Shewa, Oromiya, N.Gondar and N.Wollo Zones of the region. The project covers 39 Districts of the above zones. Awareness creation workshops, basic and refresher training of Community Based Reproductive Health Agents (CBRHAs) Trainers, CBRHAs training and Primary Reproductive Health Workers (PRHW) Training was given for 225,658 participants.

1. Family Planning Service Delivery

Family planning and Family planning information and education is provided for the community in the project areas. Contraceptives such as oral contraceptives, depo provara ,Norplant, Tubal legation, IUCD and condom are available for the community. Family planning information and education is also provided for the community at political, Ider and religious meetings by CBRHAs and by supervisors.
Such forums laid the ground for latter house-to-house education, counseling and provision of contraceptives. Totally, 2,259,601 people have been given mass health education with special emphasis on the importance of Family planning in the project zones until august, 2003. The sex composition of the participants was 1,188,621 male & 1,070,980 Female. 7,843 family planning clients have got referral services from CBRHAs to contact health workers at conventional health institutions for advice, method change and other related services.

2. Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services
As a component of the CBRH program, maternal and child health (MCH) services rendered to rural communities by CBRHAs focused on education and referral services. CBRHAs have given education for 2,599,039 men and women on several topics including:
-Antenatal & postnatal care
-Prevention of child hood Diarrhea
-Acute respiratory infection
-Immunization
Referrals for 7,246 in individuals and children were made for pregnancy, delivery, child illnesses and infertility. By providing referral services many women have shown the desire to utilize health facilities.

3. Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH) Service Delivery
The adolescent reproductive health component of the project activity focuses on capacity building activities for in and out of school clubs. Training on ARH , basic drama and literature was given for 1,033 Youth.
In the project areas 92 in and out of school clubs were provided with mini-media (IEC) materials. 107 short drama shows that focused on HTPs & HIV/AIDS were presented by in and out of school clubs and 172,931 people have attended it.

4. HIV/AIDS and STIs prevention
Though the community is aware of the presence of HIV/AIDS, the knowledge on how to prevent its transmission is very little and there is a high misconception of the disease. Thus, the project has focused on increasing knowledge on preventive methods and its transmission. As a strategy, the project uses community health education sessions and workshops to prevent the spread of the disease. As a result, education on HIV/AIDS and STIs was given for 2,83,805 people. 39,382 and 45,192 people have attended film and drama shows respectively. Training was also given for 690 commercial sex workers and health workers. Furthermore, leaflets produced for this purpose were distributed. Therefore, health education on HIV/AIDS and STIs prevention using dramas, films, trainings and mass education was given for 2,159,48 males and 153142 females and a workshop attended by 143 youths was also conducted on HIV/AIDS prevention.

5. Prevention of Harmful Traditional Practices (HTPs)
A Varity of harmful traditional practices are widely practiced in Amhara region, the main once being Early Marriage, and Female Genital Mutilation. Thus, the project has given due attention to health education on such HTPs. As a result, education was given for 1,083,048 people in the project areas. Film show was also presented for 4,958 attendants. Totally, 1,088,323 people were taught on how to prevent HTPs and its consequences. Referral services were given for 317 people due to illness related to practicing HTPs. Among the referrals, 201 were males and 116 females.
In general, with increased awareness about family planning the demand for contraceptives has dramatically increased in areas where the program is operating.

Understanding the role played by road networks in socio-economic development, ADA has completed 4 rural road construction projects. The Sanja-Massero RR- 50 Rural Road constructed by ADA's crew with an outlay of Birr 18.2 million was the major project. In addition to the construction of more than 20 fords and culverts, the bridge built over the Sanja River has a length of 58 meters and a width of 5 meters . The Robu gebeya-Digotsion 53km RR-30 road was also constructed by ADA.

The Dilibia-Kidamit 18 km long RR -10 Rural Road and the Tsi-Tsiqa Telaje 7.5 km RR-10 Rural Road Constructions in Wag Himra Zone were completed with an outlay of Birr 1.5 million and 320,000 respectively. In addition, the Enchiqe Bridge, which is 32 meters long, was also built over Enchiqe River in North Wollo Administrative Zone with an outlay of Birr 338,335 obtained from ESRDF.The Debark-Sankaber (17KM) & Tis Abay-Fasil bridge (1.7KM) rural roads were also maintained by ADA. In general 144kms road was constructed and 18.5km was maintained by ADA.

So as to rehabilitate natural resource in general and to reduce soil erosion in particular, ADA has involved itself in seedling production, transplantation and Dam-catchments treatment. Thus 5.1 million seedlings have been apportioned and transplanted; and 1,742.65 km terraces and 161.64 km long check dam was built in N.Gondar with an outlay of Birr 4.8 million.

Ambajiba Sustainable Resource management pilot project is well underway in kerker Medhane Alem keble, Lai Armachiho Woreda in North Gondar Administrative Zone. The project is being implemented by ADA in collaboration with Center for Development and Environment (CDE) of Bern University Switzerland.
The activities of the project include a base line survey for the area, a nursery, terracing, Non- formal basic adult education, reproductive health information, and capacity building, establishing credit and saving association.

In order to cover degraded areas, trees from different species of seedlings were produced in the established nursery site .The community is now trying to protect the uncultivated land and their agricultural plots by terracing. To increase productivity selected crop seeds were also apportioned for farmers. To diversify household income and increase nutritional intake, the farmers are now growing different types of fruits and vegetables. Selected hybrid chickens, sheep and oxen were distributed to farmers to increase animal productivity.

Non-Formal basic adult education was conducted for 18 months and the Mangie primary school was also supplied with school furniture. To improve the health condition of the community, basic health education was given and springs were also developed to supply the community with pure water.

The program is evaluated by the district project coordinating committee, the project coordinating committee, the project coordinator and the kebele development agents. Experts from the Woreda agriculture office also participate. Dr. Gete Zeleke and experts from ADA have monitored the project & discussed with the committee. We would like to thank Dr. Gete Zeleke and Ato Solomon Abebe in particular, for their invaluable contribution.

On the other hand, So as to reduce the burden of work on women, ADA has constructed 28-grain mills at the very inaccessible areas of the region with a total budget of Birr 2.4 million.

Different attempts have been made since 1995 to find suitable and permanent office accommodation for the Association. We would like to offer our deepest gratitude to Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al-Amoudi, the well-known Ethiopia investor, who offered to cover the construction costs of a new G+4 Building estimated at Birr 12,222,599.50. The design of the building was carried out by SB consultant at a cost of Birr 149,490 this being covered by the association. The construction is now nearing completion and it is expected to start services in the coming November.
T his G+4 building is located adjacent to the office the Amhara National Regional Government building, by the side of Lake Tana.The Construction agreement was signed on December 2nd-2001 with MIDROC Construction.

ADA with its present manpower will not use more than two or three floors. The remainder will be rented to generate income for the Association