The 3rd JICA-supported "Workshop on BCC Strategies for Improving Reproductive Health Status in Africa" was conducted by JOICFP from 20th November to 13th December 2007 in Tokyo and Okinawa.

All the participants gather at the opening session
of the workshop at JOICFP in Tokyo

The workshop welcomed GO and NGO participants from Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia, and for the first time from Liberia.

Liberia suffered civil war from 1989 to 1996, and again briefly in 2002/3, and JICA and JOICFP were very pleased that representatives could attend the workshop after a 17-years interval.

The objectives of the workshop were to develop good practices of community-operated BCC to improve the RH status of the African countries by sharing knowledge and experience, and developing skills and management, leading to the development of an action plan for each country.

Each country gave presentations
of existing IEC/BCC activities

The workshop emphasized socio-cultural sensitive RH behavior and BCC strategies, with a four-day field trip to Okinawa to observe community-operated RH and maternal/child health (MCH) activities and the role of local government, under the theme of creating sustainable programs.

Participants were also introduced to Ms. Kijima’s puppet theater for emotional communication and JOICFP’s Approduction approach to creating IEC/BCC media tools.

Atsushi Yoshino, Director, Media Communications,
JOICFP, explains how emotion-based messages,
such as The Endless Goodbye
picture drama, impact audiences

Okinawa suffered heavy casualties in WW II, and post-war Okinawa had extremely poor health indicators.

The workshop participants saw and learned how Okinawa had through community-based decentralized activities become one of the places in the world with the highest life expectancy.

Given the history of Africa, many of the visitors were impressed by Okinawa’s overcoming various health and development issues by their own eforts, and saw parallels in how they could apply lessons in their own countries.

In Urasoe City, the close collaboration between GOs and NGOs in providing preventive primary health was seen as a core element of community health, including systematic statistical analysis.

MCH Promoters throughout Japan are a key bridge between health care Promoters and the community, especially mothers, children and mothers-to-be, and in Urasoe they see babies as, "Treasures of family, society and the future."

The MCH Promoters in Urasoe are part of a referral system that deals with health difficulties quickly, and their client-friendly approach is greatly valued by the community.

MCH Promoters in Urasoe are examples
of how women’s empowerment has
benefited the whole community

In Zambian national dress in Urasoe

Meeting with MCH Promoters, the workshop participants learned of their experiences and saw examples of handmade materials that can be used to promote reproductive and maternal health.

These handmade puppets teach children
about how to take care of teeth

MCH Promoters are volunteers, and their dedication and motivation greatly impressed the visitors.

Okinawa vigorously tackles the issues of HIV/AIDS too, and the workshop participants learned how an integrated knowledge and emotion, multi-generational approach is taken in delivering HIV/AIDS education and prevention.

Multi-media is widely used to deliver messages, with BCC addressing stigma and discrimination with a human-rights based approach.