Driven by passion: reaching the last mile for empowered lives

Ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health services for all including those furthest behind is at the heart of UNFPA’s work. This is why the agency continues to partner with institutions and organisations working on this area in the country including the Gambia Family Planning Association (GFPA). Over the past years, UNFPA has supported the GFPA in delivering Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health (AYSRH) services including Family Planning, through the provision of contraceptive commodities and supporting the training of Community Based Distributors in order to ensure that we reach the last mile.

These interventions however, are more effective when young people have a point of contact to access these services and information, in a friendly and judgement-free environment.

Meet Kassamanding Touray, the Youth Program Officer at The Gambia Family Association, whose job is rooted in discussing sexual and reproductive health matters with young people. She believes that

“when young people have full understanding of their sexual and reproductive health, they are empowered for life.”

Kassamanding joined the Gambia Family Planning Association (GFPA) when she was in grade 12 which was the same year the GFPA piloted its Youth Centre. The youth centre is a safe space for young people to access information and services that are vital to their sexual and reproductive health. When asked about her work and the challenges that it comes with, she noted “it can be difficult to have young people openly discuss sexual & reproductive health issues. This is because in some cases when they do, they are discriminated against and labelled. This is why this space is important to the well-being of young people. We take care of their needs with zero discrimination or judgement.”

Her daily routine involves talking to young people about their sexual & reproductive health both at work and at home. “I discuss sexual and reproductive health everywhere and with everyone because it is fulfilling to me knowing that I am educating people. My greatest motivation stems from the number of people I help on a daily basis, the number of young people that walk into my space to discuss issues that affect them greatly” she told our team.

For a lot of young people, all they ever heard growing up was “this is a taboo and you should not be talking or hearing about it”. This condemnation also came in other forms including gestures or just short responses from adults that reeked emphasis on why you should not be discussing this. This is even more serious for adolescent girls as a result of gender norms and cultural beliefs

According to Kassamanding, when she initially started her job, she was discriminated against and people shared their dismay and said she was leading young people astray but she remains steadfast and stands by her mantra

“people should be open to talk about sex and sexuality. This is freedom.”

Beyond her work space, Kassamanding provides information and services to young people in her neighbourhood as well. “The young people in my neighbourhood come to my house for services and help. When I am not around, my husband provides this to them because I have educated him on my work and he fully understands what it means and how it relates to human wellbeing.

Kassamanding just like the other staff and volunteers at the GFPA facility are able to continue the work they do based on UNFPA’s strengthened collaboration with the organisation. In 2019, UNFPA supported the provision of comprehensive Adolescent Clinic Based Services at the facility, free anonymous HIV testing services for 1000 clients, increased the capacity of 50 Community Based Distributors on Family Planning and Reproductive Health Services and supported a regional Adolescents and Youth Forum on SRH/HIV and Family Planning which brought together 60 participants.

UNFPA continues to support GFPA in providing access to SRH services guided by the agency’s transformative goal to end unmet need for family planning, a vision of promoting the enjoyment of quality SRH rights for all men, women and young people, contributing to the fight against HIV/AIDS through advocacy, counseling, behavioral change in communication and provision of providing health care services for couples, individuals and under-served communities.

Media contact:

Isatou Jallow - Communications Associate, UNFPA The Gambia  ijallow@unfpa.org

Haddy Jonga - Programme Analyst Communications, UNFPA The Gambia  jonga@unfpa.org