REGISTERED CHARITY 1098893

Community health Empowering people to make their own reproductive health choices

A model for everyone working to conserve the natural life-support systems of our troubled planet. SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH

Blue Ventures, Level 2 Annex, Omnibus Business Centre, 39-41 North Road, London, N7 9DP, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)207 697 8598 Web: www.blueventures.org Unmet family planning and health needs Malagasy women face a 1 in 45 lifetime risk of maternal death We work with some of the world’s most isolated coastal communities, whose access to health services is severely Almost 1 in 5 children in the regions limited. where we work dies before their 5th In direct response to the unmet family planning needs of birthday Madagascar’s semi-nomadic Vezo fishing communities, we Addressing unmet family planning needs have developed a community health programme which within this context can reduce maternal upholds their reproductive rights to freely choose the and child mortality by up to number and spacing of their births. This initiative is known 30% locally as Safidy, meaning “the freedom to choose”.

% 90 of women would like to be able to plan their pregnancies * * Velondriake, 2013 A community-based model

We train and support local women to offer community- Our network of community-based distributors based reproductive health services, integrated closely with offers counselling and products including condoms, Madagascar’s Ministry of Health system as much as possible. contraceptive pills and injections as well as mosquito We provide them with contraceptives at cost price from nets, water purifying solution, oral rehydration salts Population Services International, which they sell in their and antenatal medication. We also collaborate with villages for a small income. We are currently piloting the use Marie Stopes Madagascar to offer long-acting reversible of smart phones to monitor and assure the quality of these contraceptives (hormonal implants and intra-uterine services. devices) on a regular basis.oad community participation,

60 communities / 25,000 people served Creating health-enabling social environments

We facilitate a diverse range of behaviour change Our integrated approach fosters broad community communication activities designed to foster critical thinking participation, for example, opening up discussions about about social norms and support the sustained adoption of family planning with men by relating food security healthy practices by all community members. concerns to reproductive health.

Radio shows, interactive theatre and small group discussions We also support male and female peer educators to do engage men, women and youth in topics ranging from sexual condom outreach in bars. health to fisheries management. Our impact

We enable people to make their own reproductive Increase in the proportion of women in Velondriake health choices, while equipping them with the skills using contraception they need to manage their resources sustainably.

Gaining access to family planning services improves maternal and child health outcomes, allows girls to delay their first pregnancy until after they have completed their education, and affords women more opportunities to become economically active. unintended pregnancies averted in 1,125+ Velondriake and Belo sur Mer to date Couples are empowered to plan and better among a population of provide for their families; improving food 20,000 security, and boosting local conservation efforts. Coastal communities are able to live more healthily and sustainably with their marine environment, building social and ecological resilience to climate change.

I heard about family planning from the village outreach events and decided to use it to space my births, so that I can earn income for my family and send my children to school. I would like to have one more child, but I want to space my births to make sure that I can provide well for my family. NOMENY, 23 YEARS OLD, MARRIED WITH 2 CHILDREN

Winner of the Excellence in Leadership for Family Planning (EXCELL) Award Working across sectors for real change

This community health programme is a key component We are supporting the development of a national PHE of Blue Ventures’ critically acclaimed Population-Health- network in collaboration with Voahary Salama, bringing Environment (PHE) approach, which addresses the together health and conservation NGOs, donors and policy interconnected challenges of unmet family planning needs, makers to facilitate cross-sector partnerships. food insecurity, environmental degradation and vulnerability We are offering technical advice and mentoring to to climate change in a holistic way. conservation organisations starting to implement PHE Having experienced the immense value of integrating with health partners such as Marie Stopes Madagascar, reproductive health services with locally led marine proposing learning exchanges and training courses, conservation initiatives, we are now assisting other convening meetings to share experiences, and collating organisations to adopt this approach. impact data to communicate to a variety of stakeholders.

35 health and conservation partners are involved in the Madagascar PHE Network including the Government of Madagascar, Voahary Salama, Marie Stopes Madagascar, JSI/MAHEFA, WWF, Conservation International and WCS We rebuild tropical fisheries with Working holistically coastal communities Blue Ventures recognises that improving fisheries Blue Ventures works with coastal communities to develop management alone is not enough to overcome transformative approaches for catalysing and sustaining the numerous and interrelated drivers of marine locally led marine conservation. environmental degradation. We work in places where the ocean is vital to local cultures Our programmes in Madagascar encompass locally led and economies, and are committed to protecting marine marine conservation, sustainable fisheries management, biodiversity in ways that benefit coastal people. Our community-based aquaculture and ecotourism conservation models are designed to demonstrate that businesses, educational scholarships and reproductive effective management improves food security and makes health services. economic sense. This integrated approach addresses the interconnected Over the past decade, our innovations have guided national challenges of poor health, unmet family planning needs, fisheries policy and been replicated by communities, environmental degradation and food insecurity in a NGOs, businesses, donors and government agencies along holistic way. It enables communities to manage their thousands of kilometres of coastline. So far our work has resources sustainably, both now and for the future. impacted the lives of more than 150,000 coastal people.

Communities first Innovation & courage Above all, we listen to community needs, We are resourceful and creative. We are prepared responding in a sensitive and pragmatic way for to take risks and challenge broken paradigms. lasting benefits. Openness & humility Passion & belief We are an open source social enterprise. Our mission is urgent and critical, we believe We work in a transparent and collaborative way that our models work, and we are determined to to pass on what we learn to others who share get the job done. our vision and passion. Valued people & effective teams Grounded in evidence We work in diverse and inclusive teams where We have high standards and are not afraid to all members have a voice and influence. We are be self-critical. If we see that something doesn’t effective because our work is integrated across work, we change tack until we’re on the right teams and projects. course. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

For further information or to discuss partnership opportunities please contact:

Laura Robson Community Health Programmes Coordinator [email protected]

Web: www.blueventures.org Tel: +44 (0)207 697 8598

Winner, Buckminster Observer Ethical Awards, Fuller Challenge, 2011 runner-up 2010. For work to protect Blue Ventures was commended marine resources and for creating the Indian Ocean’s improve the livelihoods of in association with first replicable blueprint for poor coastal communities community-centred marine and in Madagascar. coastal conservation planning.

Condé Nast Traveler Responsible Tourism Responsible Tourism Responsible Tourism Environmental Award, 2009 Responsible Tourism Responsible Tourism Awards 2004: highly Awards 2006: highly Awards 2007: highly Awards 2008: highly Awards 2009: highly For two decades, Condé commended for commended for commended for commended for commended for Nast Traveler has been “Best in a Marine “Best Volunteering “Best in a Marine “Best Volunteering “Best in a marine honouring environmental Environment” Organisation” Environment” Organisation” environment” visionaries around the world who have found innovative solutions to seemingly intractable problems.

Responsible Ashoka & Changemakers United Nations Enterprising Skal Ecotourism Tourism Awards National & National SEED Award Young Brits 2005 Awards 2006: 2010: Winner Geographic Geographic 2005: winner, & 2006: highly Winner, “General for “Best Geotourism Geotourism “Madagascar’s commended, Countryside” volunteering Challenge 2008: Challenge 2010: first experimental “Social and organisation” finalist finalist community-run Environment” MPA” United Nations Development Programme Equator Prize 2006: the Village of Andavadoaka, winner (in partnership)