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Rural Women’s Health and Family Civilisation, Shaanxi Province

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Rural Women’s Health and Family Civilisation, Shaanxi Province

July 2010 and December 2011.

Background

After the Sichuan Earthquake, NZCFS started to work with Shaanxi Women’s Federation (SXWF) to deliver two post-earthquake rehabilitation projects in the earthquake affected area of south-west Shaanxi Province. A memorandum of Cooperation was signed in September 2008 between NZCFS and Shaanxi Provincial Womens Federation.

SXWF identified that lack of basic knowledge by rural women was having a significant effect on household productivity and well-being of women and children. This project is designed to deliver a tiered training system ultimately reaching over 100,000 households in 63 rural communities. It is also considered by SXWF to be a pilot project, with SXWF hoping that a successful outcome can attract local government funds for duplication of the project.

 Project design and progress to March 30 2011:

OBJECTIVE 1:

To deliver a 3 step Trainer of Trainers programme to establish ‘community backbone’ health training teams in each of 63 villages in seven township areas of Baoji district to improve primary health care, household sanitation and environmental health.

The first two stages of this have been delivered in full. An initial 80 Women’s Federation personnel from project county, township and villages were trained as the first tier trained in July 2010.In September 2010 the second tier training began with the 63 village 3 member ‘backbone’ teams in the two project counties being trained in areas of primary health care, prevention of common women’s diseases, and knowledge of health of pregnant women and prevention of foetal harm.

Since then, the third stage, core groups of women in each project village have received training. These women represent the core group of women within each village community who can increase the overall capacity of health awareness issues by assisting their families and neighbours..

OBJECTIVE 2

To provide ongoing health training and advisory services to 100,000 women in 63 village communities.

Door to door activity by the local backbone teams is ongoing to promote primary health care, household sanitation, women’s health issues and how to address them. SXWF are contributing resources to provide smear tests, and this is being conducted by local hospitals. If there is follow up medical attention required, funding will be provided from 3 sources: civil bureau, the health cooperative, and Women’s Federation.

OBJECTIVE 3

To develop and distribute resources promoting healthy living using monthly TV programmes, 100,000 posters and brochures and community noticeboards.

Prior to Spring Festival 2011, doctors and medical experts prepared community health promotional material, and this has been printed and distribution will be completed by April 10 2011. In both counties 7 TV programmes have been prepared and are broadcast regularly on Thursdays. Community notice boards have been erected and posters have been changed 5 times in Fengxian and 8 times in Qishan county. Promotion work is considered to be about one third finished, and is ongoing over 2 years.

OBJECTIVE 4

To evaluate household and community implementation of health project.

Model households in each community are being selected in each community for an award system, included as an incentive for full and effective participation in the project. A model community will be selected to promote the project to other areas in an end of project workshop.