U.S. Aid Cuts: Family planning services affected in Burkina Faso
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Kenya isn't the only country affected -- American aid cuts are affecting the work of NGOs who offer family planning services in Burkina Faso. Some of these organizations may have to stop their work come next month. CGTN'S Thuli Tshabalala has more.
In the Burkina Faso city of Gampela ---Aminata Nikiema is making her regular visit to the state clinic. She cycles 10 kilometers with her youngest baby. Aminata is attending a family planning session by NGO Marie Stopes International.
AMINATA NIKIEMA, MOTHER "I am 33 years old and I already have three children. I want three more. So all I want now is to be in good health so I can work in the field and take care of them."
The NGO has dispatched 10 of its nurses to remote parts of the country--where the state cannot afford to cover. They offer free contraception, advise on family planning and sometimes perform abortions. But their funds are drying up. The Trump administration has stopped funding foreign NGOs carrying out or offering advice on abortions.
GEORGES COULIBALY, COUNTRY DIRECTOR, MARIE STOPES, BURKINA FASO "This clash of January 2017, it was like a death knell because the Americans had committed themselves and were providing a lot of the finance. As a result, we, the poor countries, we are forced to, in reality, change our plans. So, by the time all the programs funded by the United States are implemented, we will have a serious gap in the completion of this demographic transition. So really this change has created a real shock."
MSI is one of the largest NGOs in Africa that provides free contraception and family planning services. All its operations have been entirely funded by a $1.25 million dollar grant from USAID. The contraceptive programmes are crucial in Burkina---where the fertility rate is 5.5 births per woman.
AMINATA NIKIEMA, MOTHER "Here in Gampela, we see Marie Stopes International as lifesavers. Almost all the women in the village manage to have a gap in pregnancy period between each childbirth. So if they stop their work it would be a major handicap for us. Without them, I don't know how we would manage to access the family planning methods."
JOSEPHINE ZEMBA, MOTHER "I have a seven-month-old baby. I came for family planning to be able to make provisions so that I won't quickly have another baby."
UK aid has stepped in to keep MSI afloat until June. But uncertainty and concern is growing as to what will happen to their programmes and the millions of people they serve. THULI TSHABALALA, CGTN.