The Family Life Association of Swaziland (FLAS) has launched the African Citizens Initiative (ACI) in the country to mobilise the extensive network of volunteers, corporate partners, friends and staff for resource mobilisation purposes. The ACI is one of the many initiatives undertaken by FLAS and IPPFAR to respond in the changing donor architecture and reduction in core funding as traditional donors shift their focus to other global priorities. The African Citizens Initiative will then create and support a pooled fund to eventually replace the reductions in core funding that member Associations are experiencing.
What is the African Citizens Initiative?
The African Citizens Initiative (ACI) is an innovative regional approach which seeks to use the extensive network of FLAS volunteers, friends, partners and staff for resource mobilisation purposes through making pledges of a fixed amount of money over certain period of time. This is a Peer to Peer fundraising strategy which aligns with the African Unions Agenda 2063 commitment to the principle of self-reliance as well as the achievements of the Sustainable Development goals. The initiate is founded on the motto that it is possible to build “A resilient Generation for the Africa We Want”
The initiative seeks to use peer to peer fund raising strategy, which is a method of fundraising that empowers an organisation supporters to raise support to carry out its social mission. The Family Life Association of Swaziland will engage and use its network of volunteers, friends, partners and staff to raise much needed resources to deliver on the historical mission of championing access to quality and non-discriminatory Sexual and Reproductive Health information and services to the poor, vulnerable and marginalised groups in society.
ACI Methodology
FLAS volunteers, staff, members, friends and corporate partners make a pledge to make a contribution of fixed amount of money over certain period of time towards the ACI. Each volunteer then further pledge to recruit five more people into the initiative to grow it and make it sustainable. The amount of income raised in the initiative will be used to deliver SRHR services and information to young people, the marginalised and vulnerable groups in society. A small portion of the income will be tailored towards an innovation fund that will seek to look at new innovative ways of providing integrated SRHR services and information to the youth.
FLAS is committed to achieving the ambitious goals set out in the Associations Strategic Plan framework of providing 2 million qualities integrated SRH services delivered by FLAS volunteers or staff and staff by 2020. The objective of this focus area is to deliver quality integrated sexual and reproductive health services through FLAS delivery points and promoting and ensuring the delivery of integrated SRH services through public and private health facilities.
Hence the initiative allows for the Associations volunteers and members to inspire and empower individuals across the region to invest in health services and education programs that keep women, girls, children and families, safe, healthy and prosperous.
Each and every year since 1979, FLAS has been helping thousands of poor and vulnerable people prevent unsafe childbirth, unsafe sex, unsafe abortion, STI related illnesses and HIV related stigma and discrimination. The Association serve its clients without concern for borders, religions, races or ethnicities. The Association strive for local, national and global policies which recognises the fundamental right, which is the right to sexual and reproductive health services.
FLAS ACI Launch
FLAS launched the ACI in the kingdom of Eswatini on the 12th July 2018 at Sibane Hotel. The guest speaker of the launch was the Minister of home Affairs, Princess Tsandzile. She emphasised the need to continue to support the associations work, to strengthen its capacity to deliver quality and non-discriminatory SRHR information and services through direct service delivery and enabling other actors.
The general public can still join the growing volunteers who are making contributions in providing access to health for all people by making those contributions into the ACI pool. The initiative is part of a broader initiative to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages, achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.
Healthy remains the foundation of life. The Family Life Association of Swaziland envisions a society whose Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights are respected, supported and protected, a society where all people are free to make choices about their well-being without discrimination. With a little bit of help and contributions from members of the public, we can achieve the vision and improve the lives of women, young people, men and especially vulnerable people in our country.
For More information
info@flas.org.sz
Comments
Post a Comment