Feature Stories

An Outlawed Profession Gets New Life: 56% of births in Kenya still take place at home. In many cases, women deliver at home with traditional birth attendants. However, since the Kenyan government outlawed home deliveries by traditional birth attendants, many Kenyans—especially those in low income areas—have had to adjust.

Using Data for Decision Making at Every Level: In a remote, but densely populated village in Ethiopia, Masreshah Abebe strives to improve the health of her community.

A Ceremony Celebrating Change: Abandoning Female Genital Cutting in Guinea: Over 1000 people from 197 Guinean communities came together on June 5, 2011, to take a public oath, pledging their abandonment of female genital cutting and other cultural practices harmful to the health of mothers and children.

Addressing Stigma and Discrimination in North Eastern Province: Many people in Kenya experience stigma and discrimination because of their HIV status. Pathfinder has worked with communities to address such stigma in North Eastern Provience. 

Young Women and Men—Building The Future Together: Babita, a young woman, and Ravindra, a young man, face different realities in Bihar, India. But, together, they demonstrate how solving global inequalities requires working closely with both girls and boys.

HTSP Secretariat Launches in Guinea: On January 28, 2011, government officials and public health advocates gathered in Conakry to celebrate the official launch of the Guinea Healthy Timing and Spacing of Pregnancy (HTSP) Secretariat.

Yemeni Communities Unite Against Child Marriage: This story touches on the challenges and dreams of Yemeni women, and the work of Pathfinder's Safe Age of Marriage Program, a USAID-funded, Extending Service Delivery project working with local communities to change this social norm.

National Seminar Highlights Achievements of Mayer Shasthya Project: Hosted by Pathfinder International, the seminar shared the achievements and successes of the Mayer Shasthya project. 

Building The Future, Improving Health—How I Became A Leader Through Geração Biz: Antonio Massuque, a young leader in Mozambique, shares his story about how the Geração Biz program helped him become a dynamic peer educator for his fellow youth.

Overcoming Early Marriage, Becoming a Leader: As an adolescent girl, Genet Desta ran away to escape an arranged marriage. She risked her life for a brighter future, and now shares her lessons with other young people in Ethiopia.

USAID Director Impressed with Takamol Clinic: On a recent visit to Egypt, the USAID Mission Director, James Brever, came away impressed with a clinic implementing activities by Pathfinder's Integrated Reproductive Health Services Project.

Supporting HIV Youth—An Exclusive Interview with a Kenyan Youth Counselor: In appreciation of World AIDS Day, Pathfinder interviewed Samuel, a young Kenyan man born with HIV who has devoted his life to counseling others.

Head of USAID Visits a Pathfinder Supported Hospital in Nairobi: Dr. Rajiv Shah, the Administrator of USAID, sees first-hand the successes and challenges of HIV care in Kenya.

Tanzania Celebrates International Women's Day:
This International Women’s Day, a Pathfinder project brings new hope and opportunities for families affected by HIV.

Leading the Way in Contraceptive Technology: Pathfinder supports a Contraceptive Technology Update Workshop and provides key training in Tanzania.

Confronting the Challenges of HIV: Betty Akullo, an HIV positive mother in Uganda sees hope ahead with Pathfinder's help.

Representative Lowey Visits Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence: Pathfinder-led APHIA II Nairobi project hosts Congresswoman's visit to Nairobi Women's Hospital during Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to Kenya.

Beyond Stigma and Discrimination: With Pathfinder's support, Habiba Hassan Abdillahi works to help her community come to grips with the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

New Blood Bank Named for Dr. Habib Sadauki: Pathfinder's Nigerian Continuum of Care project director honored for his dedication to ending maternal mortality in Nigeria.

Kenyan Girl Addresses Global Women's Conference: Sheila Wangui, a Kenyan girl guide and participant in a Pathfinder adolescent program attends UN Commission on the Status of Women.

Rays of Hope: Young Indian Couple Faces Brighter Future with Help of PRACHAR Project: Veena Kumari*, married at 15, decides to delay childbearing and stay in school after support from Pathfinder's PRACHAR project.

Football to the Rescue: APHIA II NEP holds first "Chill" Football Tournament to educate youth about important reproductive health messages.

Pathfinder/Peru Announces 2008 Anonymous Heroes—Saving Mothers' Lives Award: Local health center honored for its dedication to helping women of Peru give birth safely.

Northern Kenya to Benefit from Improved Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Care: North Eastern Province to receive enhanced community and clinical health care services.

Mobile Voluntary HIV/AIDS Counseling and Testing Reaches Matatu Drivers in Nairobi: Local Pathfinder partner captures the attention of the matatu community through innovative outreach.

IUD Training Empowers Providers in India: Auxiliary nurse midwives and lady health visitors from Primary Health Centers trained on counseling, screening, and insertions.

Ceremony Celebrates Pathfinder-Trained Providers: Lady health visitors and auxiliary nurse midwives of Gaya district, trained in IUD insertion, receive certification at Pathfinder ceremony.

Uganda Team Represents Pathfinder at World Population Day Actitivies: Staff organize stall exhibit to highlight Pathfinder's contributions to improving the sexual and reproductive health of Ugandans.

Pathfinder/Viet Nam Leads Exchange Visit to University of Western Australia: Vietnamese delegates inspired to start new initiative to improve medical education for ethnic minority and remote populations.

Giving a Helping Hand to Fellow Students: Peer service providers support student needs at Makerere University.

New Technology Saves Nigerian Women's Lives: Two women saved during recent Pathfinder trainings for the Continuum of Care project.

Dealing with Difficult Realities: the Power of Peer Counseling: HIV positive mother faces challenges, uses her experience to reach out to others in need.

Peer Educator Idol II: Mukta peer educators select their representatives to the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico.  

A Little Bit of Magic: Community magic shows in Nepal entertain communities while providing important reproductive health messages.

Hope and Faith Against Overwhelming Odds: Couple endures pain and stigma of fistula for 23 years but hopes are answered through Pathfinder program.

Reducing Reproductive Health Burden of Women—A Relentless Effort: Barachatti Primary Health Centre and PRACHAR conduct a non-scalpel vasectomy camp to help reduce burden of reproductive health care on women.

US Ambassador and Moldovan Minister of Health Inaugurate New VCT Center: With Pathfinder support, first Voluntary Counseling and Testing Center for HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B and C opens in Ştefan-Vodă.

Expanding Contraceptive Choice: PRACHAR conducts IUD insertion training to improve access to contraceptive choices for women and men in Bihar. 

Eradicating Myths and Misconceptions: Young mother learns how she can space her pregnancies and thus better care for her family.

Newlywed Couple Learns Importance of Family Planning: Couple attends Nav Dampati Swagat Samaroh ceremony and after learning more about reproductive health, decide to delay first pregnancy.

Shama Parvin: Making the Right Choice: Family Welfare Counselor courageously decides to end early marriage in her own family.

New Clinic Opens After Devastating Earthquake: Pathfinder/Peru builds new clinic in San Clemente to help those left without health care in the aftermath of August earthquake.

Salute to the President, Pratibhatai: Sex workers from Mukta Project celebrate first female president of India. 

Pathfinder/Peru Announces 2007 Anonymous Heroes—Saving Mothers' Lives: Organization honored for its efforts to help women in Peru.

United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, Michael O. Leavitt visits ‘Tutunzane’ program: Secretary and delegation saw the work of community home-based care first-hand.

Men Pledge Commitment to Family Planning: PRACHAR Project promotes non-scalpel vasectomy.

Peer Promoter Saves Three from Circumcision: Tadalech Girma, trained by Pathfinder, rescues three young sisters from the cruel and harmful practice. 

NSDP Enters Partnership with Grameenphone: Telecommunications giant to support National Safe Motherhood and Infant Care Project.

Grameenphone Co-Organizes USAID-Funded NSDP Conference 2007: Meeting highlights five years of achievements; identifies challenges for years to come.

Changing Lives: A young woman reaches out to her peers to prevent HIV/AIDS.

Mukta Project Holds Workshop with Local Police: Officers and sex workers pledge commitment to HIV/AIDS prevention.

Pathfinder International/Peru Announces Winners of 2006 Sarah Faith Award: Organization honors efforts to save women's lives.

A Milestone in Public-Private Partnership: Local municipality donates bicycles to Pathfinder International/Tanzania.

Pathfinder International/Peru Introduces Postabortion Care to Angola: Trainings in Luanda mark a first step toward a national postabortion care system.

Pathfinder/India Hosts Peer Educator Idol: Winner attends 2006 International AIDS Conference in Toronto.

Pathfinder International/Botswana Hosts Miss PMTCT Pageant: Event raises AIDS awareness in Gabarone.

Smiling Sun Clinics Take Part in National Polio Immunization Campaign: 20 million children to be vaccinated.

Joya Ashan Visits Smiling Sun Clinic: Television star speaks about the importance of health.

Famous Cricketer Mohamed Rafique Visits Smiling Sun Clinic: 2005 Player of the Year stars in role as NSDP spokesman. 

Addressing the Consequences of Early Marriage: Zegewchu Kassa overcomes the debilitating and stigmatizing condition of obstetric fistula through the help of a Pathfinder-trained community health worker. 

Reaching the Underserved: Buzayo Rata, a Pathfinder-trained community-health worker, fights harmful traditional practices and introduces family planning in the vastly underdeveloped area of South Omo. 

Saluting Leading Women: With the help of Pathfinder and a local partner NGO, Fikirte Hailu leaves behind a life of prostitution to become a leader in her community. 

Reaching the Underserved: Buzayo Rata, a Pathfinder-trained community-health worker, fights harmful traditional practices and introduces family planning in the vastly underdeveloped area of South Omo. 

From Liquor Bar to Youth Center: Pathfinder teams up with authorities in Enchini Town to create a vibrant center for local youth.

Religious Leader Expands Community Role through Training: Kebele Kuttu, a protestant priest from southern Ethiopia, becomes a community-based reproductive health agent for his congregation.