Highly effective combination of Behavior change communication (BCC) approaches to increase use of family planning (FP) and reduce risk and vulnerability to HIV – a Best Practice Model from CARE Ethiopia

From 1996 to 2005, CARE Ethiopia implemented Population & AIDS program in two phases to address Family Planning needs and HIV/AIDS awareness. This program reached 1.3 million in Ethiopia and was funded by the Royal Netherlands Embassy.

The final evaluation indicated that program outcomes exceeded set targets. Overall, the project resulted in improved positive attitudes towards use of modern contraceptives with a threefold increase of couple years of protection (CYP), increased access to quality Reproductive Health Care Services, increased knowledge, reduced risky behaviors and reduced stigma of HIV/AIDS and STIs. Use of family planning doubled from 14.7% to 29.8%.

CARE conducted a cross-sectional survey to identify the successful BCC. The presentation will describe these approaches, the most popular being the community-based contraceptives distribution program, including a house-to-house individual education approach, peer education and youth center formation, establishment of anti-AIDS clubs at school, and community advocacy through respected social, religious and cultural community leaders. Paramount to all approaches was participatory involvement of the beneficiaries while considering the cultural context.

The presentation will describe the Community-Based Distribution Approach implemented by CARE, unique due to its phase-in/phase-out strategy to achieve sustainability and high coverage in communities. The presentation will also detail different project steps, including: engaging leaders, mapping of eligible couples, training of community volunteers, linking to the health facilities, and building health action committees.

CARE Ethiopia's BCC strategies are a Best Practice model, easy to copy and worth scaling up to reach out to other rural communities in Ethiopia and East Africa.