This paper examines the hard to reach and disadvantaged area in the Niger Delta, which has recently started attracting global attention, due to its socio-economic and environmental problems. The Niger Delta with the largest mangrove forest in the world occupies an area of about 70, 000 square kilometers and has an estimated population of over 6 million. It also produces more than 85% of Nigerian crude oil, leading to an influx of multi-national oil companies and expatriates. Social infrastructures such as roads, portable water, electricity, schools, and health care services are lacking, in their place exist, environmental pollution leading to health hazards, poor water supply, oil spillage leading to the destruction of the aquatic habitat and contamination of water. Also, there are other RH problems compounding the riverine dwellers. They include ignorance, harmful health practices, wife inheritance, rape and poverty. Pathfinder with funding from Ford Foundation initiated an RH community based and community driven program with a goal to providing RH information and increasing access to RH services. The project adopted a participatory approach to community development, conducted a community needs assessment, developed a project proposal and has successfully implemented a two year program that has become a model and adopted by Shell for replication. The paper will show a step by step process taken by the project, to identify the communities, negotiate, develop activities and implement a program in the volatile political environment in the Niger Delta with lessons learned.
Learning Objectives: At the end of the presentation, participants will be able to: 1. Articulate the reproductive health problems of the Niger Delta 2. Discuss or describe the role of multi-nationals in the crisis of the Niger Delta, and the impact of their activities on the health of the people. 3. List the steps in organizing community response to development needs in a highly volatile political environment. 4. Discuss major lessons learned working with a community that has been devastated with environmental degradation and human deprivation leading to poverty, anarchy and communal strife. 5. Acknowledge the role of NGOs in the resolution of crisis situations
Keywords: Challenges and Opportunities, Reproductive Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Pathfinder International (Employment)
Ford Foundation (Grant)