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Family Health International |
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USAID Award to FHI Promotes Youth Reproductive Health -- October 2, 2001 RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK -- The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has awarded Family Health International (FHI) $85 million to lead a five-year program to promote the reproductive health of youth in selected developing countries. The program begins immediately. FHI will implement the program, called YouthNet, through a partnership with CARE, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Emerging Markets, Margaret Sanger Center International and Research Triangle Institute. "There are 1.7 billion youth worldwide, many of whom are at risk of infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)," says JoAnn Lewis, MPH, FHI senior vice president for reproductive health. "The goals of this program are to increase community and political support for youth reproductive health; to improve knowledge, attitudes and skills related to healthy reproductive practices, including strategies to help young adults delay sexual activity; and to expand access to quality reproductive health products and services for youth." Strategies to achieve the program's goals include:
"We also believe that, for these initiatives to have an impact, youth must be full partners in the development, implementation, management and evaluation of strategies and programs," says Ms. Lewis. "We view youth as assets, not problems. By recognizing their strengths and resiliency, we can help them to build skills that they can apply to all areas of their lives." To this end, youth will be involved in all aspects of the program. YouthNet will use global youth networks, such as the World Association of Girl Guides Girl Scouts, as well as communications networks, such as MTV and SATELLIFE to share information and lessons with broad audiences. YouthNet staff will be based in FHI's Arlington, VA, office. FHI's corporate offices in North Carolina will provide senior management and financial oversight for the program. Program partners will play the following roles: Atlanta-based CARE, with 50 years of experience coordinating and managing programs in over 60 countries, will garner community support for sustainable adolescent health programs. It will work with FHI to manage youth interventions at the country level. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, based in Washington, DC, will be responsible for increasing private sector involvement in youth reproductive health. Margaret Sanger Center International in New York City, with three decades of experience assisting youth and reproductive health programs, will institutionalize reproductive health education in schools and through faith-based organizations. Research Triangle Institute in Research Triangle Park will share its considerable experience in policy reform and gender issues. USAID administers foreign aid, which includes efforts to deliver family planning services, promote safe pregnancy and delivery, and integrate reproductive health with other needs, such as the prevention of HIV/AIDS. FHI is a research and technical assistance organization dedicated to improving reproductive health worldwide. It has 30 years of experience developing, managing and implementing complex programs in family planning, reproductive health, HIV/STIs, adolescent and maternal health, and gender issues with funding from, and in partnership with, USAID and its overseas missions. FHI has carried out more than 70 activities, studies and projects focusing on youth. The new award follows other recent awards to FHI. In 2000, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) selected FHI to manage an international center supporting research involving tropical and other infectious diseases in tropical regions. In 1999, NIAID awarded FHI a $22 million, five-year contract to manage a network of research universities and institutions that are evaluating HIV prevention interventions in the United States and in developing countries. Also, in 1999, USAID awarded FHI an $87 million, five-year agreement to continue contraceptive research and related reproductive health projects. Among FHI's other major programs is the Implementing AIDS Prevention and Care (IMPACT) project based in Washington, also financed by USAID. In partnership with five other organizations, the five-year, $148 million IMPACT project works in more than 30 developing countries to prevent the spread of HIV and to provide care for those who are infected. For more information, please contact: Kim Best |
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