Reproductive Health Philippines Project #68325

Reproductive health for Metro Manila's young women

by Likhaan Center for Women's Health Inc.

Summary

The project will address high unintended pregnancies among young women 15-24. Your donation will buy 700 contraceptive implants. Each one protects women for three years. We'll match them with our reproductive health clinics' free services, funded by other grants. Qualified costs will be reimbursed from PhilHealth, the Philippines' health insurance agency. With this approach, we can meet the needs of our most vulnerable patients. The project will cover slums and poor communities in Metro Manila.

$23,333
total goal

$19,424
remaining

30
donors

3
monthly donors

1
year

Challenge

Young women have the highest unmet need for contraception, leading to unintended pregnancies linked to health risks, or even death, and missed chances for better education and work. Many get pregnant not by choice, but mostly due to access barriers such as incapacity to pay for services, sex and contraception taboos, and hesitancy of people in power to offer respectful access. Young women like the implant's effectiveness, convenience, and reversibility, but government supplies are unpredictable.

Solution

We will buy 700 implants for dispensing at our six clinics in Metro Manila. We will then reimburse our costs from PhilHealth, the public insurance agency. Using this funding mix, we can meet the needs of our most vulnerable patients. We run ten clinics in very poor communities, with 50,000 annual visits, 85% of which are for contraception. All are accredited by health agencies. We mix project grants, donations, government supplies, and PhilHealth payments to provide services

Long-Term Impact

An implant can prevent pregnancy for three years. Freedom from early and unwanted pregnancies will generate cost savings on child care, health, education, and daily living. Sexually active young women will avoid risks to their health and lives from maternal complications. As healthier women, they will have better opportunities to finish schooling or find fulfilling work. Reproductive autonomy will provide young women the time to develop the skills and confidence of more productive individuals.