Fekerte Belete
There is an enormous need for family planning and reproductive health education and services in Ethiopia. Youth are not educated properly on reproductive health and only 51.8% of the population has adequate access to health facilities*. Women are subjected to female genital mutilation, early marriage, rape and domestic abuse. Expanding and sustaining reproductive health education and services in urban and rural communities--through life skills development and empowering parents to play key roles in properly socializing their children--are necessary to improve the quality of life in Ethiopia.
Fekerte Belete has been one of the main activists in responding to the unmet needs of reproductive health education and services. As a program director for the Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH) program at Pact Ethiopia, Fekerte has been a pioneer in designing and ensuring the implementation of programs that expand reproductive health education, services, and options for urban and rural communities in Ethiopia.
As a child, Fekerte was given encouragement and support by her parents, particularly her mother, who believed in education for girls. Fekerte credits her education and the opportunities she was provided as a youth, in assisting her to be socially balanced, hardworking, and committed to the causes she believes in. “I believe that this also contributed to my growth in leadership – both in my formal roles and responsibilities and in my social life, leading different professional and traditional associations at international, national and community levels.”
Early in her career, Fekerte was involved in HIV/AIDS work. Seeing first-hand the youth victims of this disease inspired her to get involved in educating and empowering youth to become more aware of the disease and learn ways to prevent it and gain control of their reproductive health.
Additionally, the gender imbalance in Ethiopia greatly influenced Fekerte. The level and gravity of violence against girls and females in general and seeing children as young as 8 being given away for marriage, encouraged Fekerte to become more involved and improve the quality of life for those who did not have a strong voice in Ethiopia.
Fekerte knew she could be part of the change and could help influence youth to make the right decisions when it comes to their reproductive health. Her inspiration and passion to educate and empower youth and adults in reproductive health led her to begin working on the Adolescent Reproductive Health program in August 2000.
The ARH program, funded by the David & Lucile Packard Foundation, was implemented by Pact Ethiopia from August 2000 to February 2011, with the objective of creating awareness and behavioral changes amongst youth, and to improve young people’s skills in the areas of sexual negotiation, mentoring peers, delaying early initiation of sexual relationships and prevention of HIV/AIDS.
The ARH program worked with local NGO partners and local and community based organizations to implement basic reproductive health services for youth and spread reproductive health knowledge in rural and urban communities. Additionally, ARH created a capacity building program, funded by the Organizational Effectiveness Program of the Packard Foundation for the fourteen NGOs selected to implement the program.
As program director, Fekerte was involved in all aspects of the program. She organized RH clubs that taught adolescents a new approach to leadership and life skills. Additionally, she empowered girls and young married women to develop skills to negotiate their needs and rights. She also mobilized the communities to support the youth in their RH efforts, which included creating linkages between community and government leaders and promoting networking among key stakeholders.
During its 10-year span, the Adolescent Reproductive Health program benefited over a million and a half youth and adults in Ethiopia.** The participatory nature of the program and its success in creating networks of youth associations proved to be effective in solving RH related problems. Fekerte saw first-hand the achievements of youth and their ability to create social change. Working on the ARH program, Fekerte learned, “The youth, if respected and provided space to exercise leadership, are able to solve their RH problems.”
Seeing young men and women whom she has mentored grow into mature leaders who are prominent in their RH associations and leaders amongst their peers, brings a sense of pride and achievement to Fekerte. “It is a goal met for me and an asset for the community in regards to addressing RH issues in the different communities where these individuals are trying to address the ARH issues.”
Fekerte hopes to continue to help develop leadership skills in others, particularly to help youth gain a sense of awareness and build on their strengths for becoming successful in life and in their careers.
*www.pactworld.org/cs/Ethiopia_packard
**Pact, 2010