Believe Semakor, HealthKeepers Network.
Believe Semakor is a community health worker who hails from the Volta region of Ghana.
Believe has learned a lot about family planning from the HealthKeepers Network, where she has worked for almost two years. She, in turn, teaches people in her three assigned communities about the importance of family planning, the various methods available, and advantages and disadvantages of each. She also sells family planning commodities and other health-protecting products to her clients.
Believe takes pride in improving people’s health and providing solutions to social issues. However, it is not always easy to find customers. “Sometimes, I have to walk long distances to the villages because I have no money for transportation. And when I get there, it is only to find no customers.”
Believe and her colleagues work with health facility staff to lower the rate of teenage pregnancy in their district. It’s not always easy, especially when it comes to condoms. Some people won’t even let her begin to explain them.
Despite the challenges, Believe says that most days are fun. When she was growing up, she wanted to be a business woman, and selling health-promoting products appeal to her. The HealthKeepers commodities system is simple to use and assures that she never runs out of stock. And the flexibility of the program is such that even if Believe were to get another job, she wouldn’t have to give up her work with the HealthKeepers Network.
With additional funding provided by a grant awarded under Advancing Partners & Communities (APC), HealthKeepers Network is expanding their community-based family planning (CBFP) project. The CBFP project aims to reduce the gap between the demand and the supply of HIV prevention and family planning (FP) products. The program provides access to affordable contraception, including condoms and oral contraceptives, as well as other products and services.
