Development Channel interviews the winner of Asia Society – Bank of America Merrill Lynch Public Service Award Winner, Roots of Health’s Executive Director, Patricia Amina Swanepoel. Roots of Health is an organisation helping women from various communities avail good reproductive health services. They were felicitated at the Asia Society’s Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit on 19 November for their exceptional services in the Philippines.
Q. Congratulations on winning Asia Society’s Public Service Award. How do you feel on winning this award?
A: I’m really excited and honoured. We tried for it but didn’t expect to win. So it is a pleasant surprise.
Q. What do you think was the key factor that gained you this award?
A: I think that the work we do translate well to everybody. Reproductive health is a huge problem. If we don’t provide them with these services, then no one will.
Q. What kind of services do you provide and how do you provide them to the communities?
A: We identify three community groups that we want to work with and then schedule 25 classes with the women on various topics related to reproductive health. We also provide our services to teenagers and children. So it is basically education that serves as an introduction in to the community. We also provide them with health services. We work with each community for a period of two years.
Q. What is the main focus of the education that you provide to these groups?
A: Reproductive health and human rights empowerment are the two focal points. We teach women and girls about their body and reproductive organs. We talk to them on how to plan pregnancies and how to have the best pregnancies, whether they had planned it or not. Also, since most of these women aren’t educated, they have difficulty in decision making. They feel that it is alright for their husbands to beat them up because nobody has told them otherwise. We cover all these in the 25 weeks module.
Q. What is the response from the participating women for these classes?
A: All our classes are interactive with activities. After the initial shyness, these women are remarkably outspoken and willing to open up.
Q. Have you faced any resistance from the people while attempting to make inroads into the companies?
A: Initially, some of the husbands viewed us with suspicion. But once we started taking care of their wives’ health, stayed with them and came back on a regular basis, it was fine. Also, they heard from the women how much they were enjoying these sessions. However, we have had a few upset parents because they think that talking about sex to their children is inappropriate. Our staff is trained to interact with the communities.
Q. How do you choose the communities that you work with?
A: We ask the health officials for the communities that they are worried about and they give us five or six names. We cross refer with the census data and also conduct our own surveys on health, family size and education of the community after having talks with the elected captain of the community. Out of these we chose three communities to work with.
Q. How does the government respond to your activities?
A: There is not much support from the government as there is a national feeling of opposition to reproductive health. Hence, there is a budget problem too. But, the city health officials are supportive and happy with our work.
Q. Does Roots of Health aspire to go global with its projects?
A: Currently, we don’t plan to expand to a larger scale. However, we are happy to share our modules and the work that we do with anyone who wants to take up the same sort of work. Our modules can easily be replicated and we are open to sharing them with others..
Q. What is your message for the people of other nations?
A: A shift has to take place within communities to give youth respect and give them the right to information. There is a feeling that you can’t talk to them about sex. But you can’t silence them or stop them, so it is important that they make informed decisions.
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