Family Planning Services for 5000 Women in Uganda

Summary of Activities

During the period under review, the SAFE Initiative continued its mission to improve access to sexual and reproductive health services among women and girls in fishing communities. These areas remain underserved due to geographical isolation, stigma, and limited SRHR infrastructure.

During the quarter, we implemented the following activities:

1. Musawo Sessions in Four Communities
We conducted four Musawo Sessions in Kasenyi, Guuda, Nakiwogo, and Kigungu fishing communities.
Musawo Sessions are interactive, safe, and informal discussion spaces facilitated by trained health workers. In these sessions, women, including sex workers,are encouraged to speak freely, ask personal questions, and receive factual guidance on reproductive health, contraception, consent, and safe abortion care. The sessions help reduce stigma, demystify SRHR topics, and build confidence and knowledge among participants.

2. Community Outreaches and Family Planning Services
Two community outreaches were organized in Kigungu and Nakiwogo. During these outreaches, service providers offered both long-acting reversible and short-term family planning options. Nurses supported clients with counseling, method selection, and follow-up guidance, and referrals were made for additional care when needed.

Impact

Through the Musawo sessions and community outreaches, we directly reached 1,173 women and girls, including sex workers. We observed:

• Noticeable improvement in knowledge and confidence discussingcontraception and comprehensive safe abortion care
• Increased uptake of long-acting reversible contraception
• Greater willingness to seek timely post-abortion care services

In total, 911 women accessed contraception andpost-abortion care services across the four communities during this quarter.

Testimonial (anonymous for ethical protection)

“I used to fear using an IUD because of the myths I heard, things like causing excessive bleeding or even cervical cancer,” shared a young woman after attending a Musawo Session. “During the session, the FMP nurses explained how the method actually works. They talked about possible side effects and helped me separate facts from myths.”

“I decided to take the IUD. Now I feel confident that I made the right decision. I am no longer worried about getting pregnant, and I haven’t experienced the symptoms I feared. Having accurate information changed everything for me.”

Stories like hers reflect why the Musawo sessions continue to be a trusted entry point for women seeking accurate reproductive health information.

Challenges

During this reporting period, we faced several challenges:

• Limited funding constrained the number of SRHR products we could distribute and reduced the frequency of follow-up visits and outreaches.
• High demand vs. capacity: More women requested services than we could reach within scheduled sessions.
• Persistent stigma and misinformation in some communities continued to limit open participation, especially among younger women.

These constraints demonstrate the need for sustained resources to expand services across all landing sites.

Lessons Learned

• Creating non-judgmental, peer-centered spaces remains essential for reaching marginalized women, especially sex workers.
• Integrating health education and service delivery during the same outreach ensures women can act immediately on new knowledge.
• Community trust grows when services are consistent; however, interruptions caused by funding gaps risk reversing progress.
• Continued community sensitization reduces stigma and increases willingness to seek safe abortion and post-abortion care services.