Keturah Adams
Civic Leadership - University of Delaware USA
Community Organizing - Metropolitan Group, Wilmington Delaware
Monitoring and Evaluation - African Medical Research Foundation Kenya
Understanding The Rights of Women and Girls - YALI
- Award:Mandela Washington Fellow 2017Awarding Organization:US Department of State, IREX, US EmbassyDate Awarded:August 3, 2017
- Award:Award of HonorAwarding Organization:Kickof Kaduna GroupDate Awarded:January 6, 2018
working with rural women in the Northern part of Nigeria whose beliefs has formed part of their cultures has been a big challenge. We decided to reach them with FP message and services through the local birth attendants in their communities (TBAs). Working with TBAs has not only been an ice breaker for us but has increased demand for FP services in these communities from less than 5% to over 30%. We adopt the train the trainer model; we train TBAs who in turn educate community members and provide basic FP services under a health workers supervision.
we have reached over 5000 women/girls with FP education and have provided services for over 2000 people.
I have also authored a book titled I-Decide, a reproductive health guide for adolescents that guides them to make informed decisions.
As a child, I had a bone infection that spread and I nearly lost my arm. I had access to quality health care, and was nursed to full recovery.But as a child I noticed that not every child had the same access to basic amenities. I started the saving lives at birth project where i realized that most pregnancies were unintended and statistics say over 56% were resolved by unsafe abortion which i found prevalent among young girls.I was determined to stop the menace by ensuring every birth was wanted
Having realized that there were more kids in families than can be catered for & maternal mortality went on the rise due to unsafe abortions, i immediately decided we will incorporate family planning to our saving lives at birth project
We organized street FP campaigns, community education and service provision
We organized advocacy visits and focused groups discussions with community leaders, religious leaders, women and youth leaders on FP. We provide educational materials in local language
winning will accord me the opportunity to network with great minds from various parts of the world. This will provide an opportunity for a peer review, learn new/best practices and build synergy with other Family Planning champions.
I would partner with a rural community to setup a safe space for young people with the $1000 price money where adolescents and young people can access FP education and services without the fear of being stigmatized or judged as it were at general service centers
