Cecilia is announces new 2008 Gulbenkian Health Promotion Grants on community radio.
The grants round has opened again for 2008 but with new criteria that gives priority to groups in remote areas. It is hoped that in this way, much needed information will get to those women who often miss out.
Fundacao Calouste Gulbenkian in Portugal has provided the Alola Foundation with small grants funding to distribute to women's groups to promote health. This wonderful initiative means that Alola can support women's group across Timor-Leste to introduce locally driven programs to:
- Promote delivery with a trained midwife
- Promote attendance at antenatal appointments with a midwife
- Promote exclusive Breast Feeding for first six months
- Distribute films about Breastfeeding across the district
- Provide nutrition training for children six months and older
- Community owned water and sanitation projects
- Improved agricultural methods to grow vegetables and fruit
- Projects to promote change in attitudes towards a range of health issues
- Improved maternal health before and after child birth
- Family planning education activities
- Promote the use of bed nets and to control mosquitoes
The above ideas are simply examples, groups are encouraged to identify their own priorities and the grants will fund ideas that local women say they want!
The District Support Workers will play an important role in helping women to gather together, identify their needs and develop responsive programs. The small grants provide much needed funds that will reward local initiative and assist women's groups to develop the skills and confidence to exercise leadership in their communities.
Local foods displayed as part of the nutrition training
The grant application process is very simple, just two pages of guidelines and a two page application form. Reporting is also simple - photographs, a short story about the project and a simple financial report with receipts. Groups can apply at any time through the year and we will endeavour to provide a decision within two months.
Things are progressing very well, September grants have supported the following:
Twenty six programs have been funded so far – most for about $1000, the majority would be for training – some are ongoing and occur over time – especially the radio programs.
Five Family Planning Information sharing programs; six Women’s Health – including BF, Nutrition, Family Planning; six programs to promote Exclusive Breast feeding; three community Radio programs to promote range of health issues; five Nutrition programs; and one HIV Prevention Program.
The programs cover the following Districts: Viqueque – 3; Liquica – 3; Lautem – 7; Dili – 3; Ermera – 2; Baucau – 7; Oecusse – 1.
Already 14 projects have submitted reports about their programs – most of which provided short term training opportunities. The remainder are 3 – 6 month programs and one 12 month project that will report at the end of their projects. This suggests that the program is working well and is accessible and accountable.
We look forward to seeing women's groups across Timor-Leste developing innovative new programs to encourage improved health and wellbeing in their sucos (villages).
Contented exclusively breadfed baby
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