FTP Snapshot: Tanzania
E2A and Pathfinder International have been implementing a new initiative for young First-Time Parents (FTPs) as part of the Tuungane project, an integrated population, health, and environment (PHE) program in the Greater Mahale Ecosystem of Tanzania.
Tuungane has been working in partnership with the Government of Tanzania, The Nature Conservancy, and other partners to tackle some of the most complex development challenges faced by these extremely remote, marginalized, and vulnerable communities, including improving access to voluntary family planning (FP) services. Noting patterns of early childbearing and low contraceptive use among young people in Tuungane communities, E2A and Pathfinder saw an opportunity to advance healthy timing and spacing (HTSP) of pregnancies, FP, and related gender outcomes for FTPs.
This new initiative centers on peer group activities with young first-time mothers (FTMs)—defined as women under 25 years who are pregnant with or have one child—to build their FP and reproductive health (RH) agency and facilitate access to facility- and communitybased FP counseling and services. With the launch of FTP activities in May 2018, E2A collected information on the FP/RH situation and needs of FTM participants through a qualitative baseline and peer group intake forms.
