In November 2007, seminars to disseminate RH knowledge and information were organized in 12 districts in the four provinces (Ha Nam, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh) under the JICA "Project for Capacity Building for Dissemination of Community-Based Reproductive Health (RH) Promotion Approach," (October 2006 - October 2009).

The seminars aimed to create a supportive environment for the promotion of RH through -

1. Increasing interest among the commune leaders towards the promotion of RH,
2. Sharing information on efforts made by the health sector and Women's Union to improve RH, and
3. Deepening understanding of the role men can play in women's health

Nearly 3,500 participants, about half of who were male, gathered in the 12 districts, averaging 290 participants per seminar. They were mostly commune level representatives of various government offices and departments of the People's Committee, Communist Party, and various mass organizations such as the Fatherland Front, Women's Union, Youth Union, Farmers' Union, Labor Union, and schools teachers, health workers, etc.

At the registration, participants received
printed materials on RH topics, such as
pregnancy care and contractive methods

The seminars included presentations of project activities, videos, and demonstrations of RH materials.

The Nghe An Project Coordinating Committee (PCC) and the Reproductive Health Care (RHC) Center of Nghe An had set up a team to conduct the seminar and visited all the 12 districts.

The participants commented that an animated video on pregnancy care was very interesting, easy to understand and good to show everyone.

Another video introducing Japanese experiences after WW II in promoting public health and maternal and child health (MCH) impressed on the audience the importance of self-help efforts among community people to improve their own health and environment.

Some participants commented that there was a lot to learn from the collaboration among ordinary people in Japan to develop the country.

At each session, the meeting halls were filled with laughter when the pregnancy simulator was introduced and worn by male participants. Those men who tried on the pregnancy simulator invariably commented that they thought getting pregnant was a natural and common thing, but they realized it puts women in a very difficult condition to do anything as usual.

Pregnancy simulator demonstrated
by three volunteer male participants

In each seminar, staff members of the Women's Union introduced various methods of contraception using the Maggie Apron and demonstrated how to use condoms correctly.

Men model the Maggie Apron…

… and a large screen shows the activity clearly

The reaction of the audience was very positive in all the 12 districts, saying that the RH content was presented attractively and the seminars were enjoyable.

A happy audience greatly enjoys
activities during a seminar