Launch of Young Mother's Project.

This Project aims to assist Young Mothers through the Promotion of Healthy Settings. 
It was launched on 27th February 2015.

The Aim of the Organisation for the Young Mothers project is:
“To work with the community in achieving wellness, which incorporates physical, social, mental and spiritual health, by empowering the community through education, advocacy and leadership”.

Beneficiaries for the Project:

Direct Beneficiaries: Teenage mothers / single mothers.

Indirect Beneficiaries: The families and community of Viseisei and Lomolomo Villages.

From left to right: DHS Sr. Leslie Boyd, Chief Guest DMO West – Dr. Susana Nakalevu, UNDP SCEFI Facilitator - Rusiate Ratuniata.

Project Principles:

Healthy Settings, the settings-based approaches to health promotion, involve a holistic and multi-disciplinary method which integrates action across risk factors. The goal is to maximize disease prevention via a "whole system" approach. ©WHO 2015
This definition from WHO was first outlined in the Ottawa Charter in 1980. The WHO further explains the following:
The Healthy Settings movement came out of the WHO strategy of Health for All in 1980. The approach was more clearly laid out in the 1986 Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. These documents were important steps towards establishing the holistic and multifaceted approach embodied by Healthy Settings programmes, as well as towards the integration of health promotion and sustainable development. ©WHO 2015 Introduction to Healthy Setting

Building on the Ottawa Charter, the Sundsvall Statement of 1992 called for the creation of supportive environments with a focus on settings for health. In 1997, the Jakarta Declaration emphasized the value of settings for implementing comprehensive strategies and providing an infrastructure for health promotion. Today, various settings are used to facilitate the improvement of public health throughout the world.

Introduction from Health Promotion Officer Mr. Mosese Baseisei.

Young Mothers Project; an Example of Healthy Settings.

The launching of the Young Mothers Project at VSHC saw healthy settings at its best where key stakeholders were invited to participate and give their commitments to assist in the project implementation.  The young mothers in this project are single mothers and teenage mothers.  The aim of the project is to try to build capacity and help them become self sufficient by getting back into the workforce or further education.
Stakeholders present at the launch included the Ministry of Health’s Divisional Medical Officer (DMO) Western and the Divisional Health Sister Western, Media Unit. The DMO was the Chief Guest who launched the programme. Also present were the representatives from the Ministry for Women and Social Welfare, Ministry for Youth, Ministry for Labour’s National Employment Centre, District Officer Lautoka/Yasawa, Empower Pacific, Community Health Workers, Trainee Interns from Fiji National University and members of Media organisations.

FCDP Programme Officer Mr. Aseri Rika  making a point  during the launching. Medical Director Ass. Prof. Dr. Naidu is in the background.

Invited Guests during the Launch.

The essence of partnership embodies the framework of healthy settings. The inter government stakeholders as well as like-minded CSO’s who were invited during the launching.   Media organisations play an important role in awareness raising.  All the stakeholders indicated interest in rehabilitating young mothers and the National Employment Centre spoke of the avenues available that can assist them in moving forward. It is important to drive this forward as government organisations and CSO’s must cooperate in all spheres of development whether it is promoting resiliency for economic prosperity, social justice or prevention of diseases.  Planners must ensure that healthy settings and wellness becomes the basis of progress. The Community Health Workers (CHWs) have identified the Teen and Single Mum’s rehabilitation and capacity building as a need from which this project has emanated.  The CHWs performed the needs assessment survey with the help of the facilitators from VSHC which identified the young mothers needs.  
Further workshops are planned where the stakeholders will come together and determine ways to develop programs to help these young mothers gain skills to help them to be gainfully employed.