The INFO Project Blog

Recently, I interviewed Dr. Winifrede Mwebesa at the Save the Children office in DC. In her interview for the FP Success Web site, Dr. Mwebesa emphasizes the importance of working with key stakeholders in the community. It is critical, she notes, to understand the context in which a family planning program is operating, and then to tailor the key messages to that context. Working with gatekeepers and stakeholders enables FP programs to overcome obstacles to family planning success and reach their end goal. Dr. Mwebesa states: “Ultimately, what we want to do is for the woman to use something that is going to enable her to space her pregnancies. But she cannot make that decision on her own. You need to be working with men, mothers in law, and definitely with community and religious leaders to try and get some of those messages down there. ” 

During this interview, Dr. Mwebesa describes the process of involving community stakeholders to dispel myths and garner support for FP programs. She also provides specific examples of working with imams in Mali and Guinea.