Community Mobilization Project (CMP)

Urban-Barishal City Corporation

Project Period

July 2022 – June 2023

Reporting Period

July 2022 – June 2023

Project Location

Barishal (Barishal City Corporation: Ward- 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, Union Name- Charbaria, Charkawa)

Financial Partner

Social Marketing Company (SMC)

Goal

The overall objective of the rural GSM initiative in selected Upazilas and Union Parishads of Tangail district is to increase the coverage of the community mobilisation program, including GSM activities, through strategic partnership and collaboration with CWFD and other key stakeholders.

Objectives

Introducing women’s entrepreneurship initiatives in rural areas to catch up with the potential market in rural and peri-urban areas using SMC’s GSM model through strategic partnership and collaboration with key stakeholders which could be replicated in identified areas
Developing a new cadre of women entrepreneurs in rural and peri-urban areas having at least eight-grade educational qualification through extensive training and mentoring support who will act as an information hub for disseminating FP-MCH and nutrition messages as well as selling SMC public health products within her catchment areas
Establishing a new channel of distribution for SMC public health and FP products in selected rural areas/pockets and thereby opening up a horizon for low- and middle-income populations to benefit from this initiative
Raising critical awareness among the intended audience groups on issues relating to healthy timing and spacing, first 1000 days of care of mothers and children, nutrition, ASRH, and child marriage, thereby creating demand for public health and Family Planning products produced by the Social Marketing Company (SMC)

Major Activities

Advocacy meetings with Govt. stakeholders, elected representatives, and local influential people
Courtyard meetings with MWRA and caregivers
Interpersonal Communication (IPC) with newlywed couples
Conduct meetings with School Management Committee
Health sessions with school-going adolescents at school and college levels
Conduct meetings with pregnant women (Ma Samabesh)
Monthly meetings with 200 GSMs (Gold Star Members)
Ensuring the use of family planning methods and health products

Project Staff

Total Staff: 4 (F-04)

Target Beneficiaries

Married Women of Reproductive Age (MWRA), Caregivers of children under 5 years, Pregnant Mothers, School Adolescents, Community leaders, Newly-wed couples

Major Achievements

An advocacy meeting was held with 25 stakeholders
A total of 285 group meetings were held with 4,020 MWRA and 1,612 caregivers
A total of 10 interpersonal communications (IPC) sessions with newlywed couples
A total of 20 school health sessions were held with 2,049 students
A total of 4 School Management Committee meetings were held with 41 participants
Provided basic training to 24 GSMs to transform them into small-scale entrepreneurs
Provided basic training to 4 new staff
Total health products worth Tk. 145,371/- were sold during the period of July 01, 2022 to June 30, 2023

Challenges

High rate of GSM dropout

Additional Notes

Note-1: Two community mobilizers are working with pregnant women at the community level on the Multiple Micronutrient Supplement (MMS) project. They ensure that pregnant women take at least 4 antenatal checkups, motivate them to take the FullCare product of SMC, and educate them to take proper care during pregnancy.

Note-2: The adolescent health campaign has been running in 28 upazilas in CMP and MISHD project areas since May 2023. A total of 20 upazilas are under the MISHD Project, and 8 upazilas are under the CMP project among the 28 upazilas. This project will run up to 31st August 2023. A total of 57 staff (1 coordinator, 56 Field Activation Officers) are working on this campaign. Our target population is 170,240 adolescents (both male and female) in total. A total of 1,904 health sessions were held with 72,257 students under the adolescent health campaign project.