Access to quality and affordable health care continues to burden the nomadic pastoral populations in the hard to reach areas of arid and semi-arid lands. Underpinning factors include greater difficulty in traveling to health facilities, less diversity in health care resources to choose from and high illiteracy levels. Harsh climates make it difficult to attract and retain health facility workers in the few existing health facilities.
The patriarchal nature of the nomadic pastoral community also presents gender norms that do not support independent decision making for women hindering their access to and utilization of health services. Harmful social cultural practices like early marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM/C) are customary. Women, children and adolescents are most disadvantaged by these inequalities and vulnerabilities.
AFYA TIMIZA is an initiative aimed at sustainably improving health outcomes for mothers, children and adolescents for the vulnerable communities by increasing availability to affordable and quality family planning, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (FP/RMNCAH) services; nutrition; water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH).