FAMILY PLANNING AND SAVINGS PROGRAMS: Experience of Rwanda

1. FAMILY PLANNING AND SAVINGS PROGRAMS: Experience of Rwanda FP conference in Dakar Presented by Agnes Mukamana

2. Impact group Vulnerable poor women SAFI: Economic Security and Development Program Goal By 2015, 750,000 extremely poor people, particularly women and girls (at least 70%), will have achieved economic security, exercise their rights to health, education and influence decision-making at all levels.

3. VSL methodology A group of 15-25 people who save together and take small loans from those savings. The activities of the VSLA run in ‘cycles’ of about one year, after which the accumulated savings and the loan profits are shared out among the members according to the amount they have saved.

4. Result Initiative • Work with partners to establish auxiliary FP posts • Strength FP outreach services • Work with religious leaders to raise awareness and acceptance of FP • Training of Change Agent, anti-GBV committees and peer educators to increase their capacity to challenge social norms and practices • Involvement of men’s support groups in discussions on Gender and power relations at household level • Conduct staff reflection sessions to stimulate personal transformation and change

5. Justification of integration In the Mid Term Review, SAFI project has completed • Gender Gaps Analysis: several challenges were raised that could be improved through the integration of gender, GBV and family planning activities. • The findings showed that woman’s economic empowerment alone is not enough to ensure wellbeing at the household level. • Challenges related to gender issues, power dynamics and communication at the household level need be taken into account in tandem for sustainable economic empowerment.

6. Piloting the Integration (SAFI/RI) • Location: Gatsibo district, Eastern Province • Target: VSL was used as an entry point in order to increase women’s access to economic opportunities. • Integration: FP, GBV and HIV among poor women • Methodology: Social Analysis and Action methodology

7. Mutual benefits RI is designed to increase the use of FP by concurrently addressing health system strengthening and the social and cultural determinants of health SAFI designed to educate communities in saving and borrowing for investment in small economic activities, household income and asset building.

8. Outcomes (FP & Economy)

9. Perceived Impacts • Large increase in assets • Improved nutrition, access to medical services and education • Increased stability of household enterprises • Increase in number of Economic Activities Household income: Entrepreneurship development; Social capital • Improved social status/social capital • Improved intra-family relationships

10. Integration update • In 129 VSL groups • 2853 women and 1010 men • Working with 129 peer educators (FP) • 45 Change agents (VSLG) • 30 Church Leaders • 6 sector Anti GBV committees • Training of 128 Peer Educators (males& females) on GBV, FP and Male engagement. • Training of staff in FP, Gender and use of social change tools (SAA tools) • Reflection sessions with project and CO staff on gender norms

11. Reason of success • Access to FP services: FP post &CBD • Access to information (weekly meetings) • Challenge of some social norms (SAA) • Couple counseling done by trained religious leaders

12. Challenges • Sustaining the integration • Monitoring activities/supervision • FP services for specific groups like widows and youth not yet in place