Family Planning for Rural Colombian Women

Donor Report: Empowering Women with Reproductive Choice

Dear Supporter,

This November, we celebrated a remarkable milestone: 10 women from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta region received life-changing reproductive healthcare through our family planning brigade. Thanks to your incredible support, Women for Conservation was able to fully fund tubal ligations for these women, providing them with the freedom and choice to plan their families and shape their futures.

Access to reproductive healthcare is a cornerstone of women’s empowerment. For many women in rural Colombia, these services are simply out of reach due to financial and geographic barriers. Your generosity allowed us to eliminate those obstacles, covering transportation to and from hospital visits, food, and accommodations, ensuring that these women could access the care they needed without undue burden.

The impact of your support extends far beyond the procedure itself. These women can now focus their limited resources on the children they already have, pursue educational and professional opportunities, and take charge of their futures. This isn’t just about family planning—it’s about giving women the power to make choices that align with their dreams and aspirations.

By supporting this project, you are championing the fundamental right of women to access contraception and reproductive healthcare. You are not only transforming individual lives but also strengthening families and communities, creating ripple effects that will be felt for generations.

Thank you for making this life-changing work possible. Together, we are building a world where women have the choice, freedom, and resources to thrive.

With deepest gratitude,

Emily Knudson

Women for Conservation

Over the course of two days, Women for Conservation in collaboration with ProAves and Profamilia organized a reproductive health brigade in Medellín, where 23 women on our waitlist from El Carmen de Atrato, Chocó, received tubal ligation procedures. This family planning method allows women to plan their families safely while contributing to environmental conservation.

This initiative aims to provide rural women in buffer zones, like the ProAves Las Tángaras Reserve—declared the first Regional Natural Park in Chocó—with access to reproductive health services. The reserve is home to endemic birds, a variety of amphibians, and mammals that are under threat of extinction.

Providing access to sexual and reproductive health services allows families to access vital health resources and plan for their children, reducing population pressure and preserving the natural habitats and biodiversity in key conservation areas, as we do in 27 nature reserves across the country.

Over the course of two days, medical evaluations and procedures were conducted in a safe environment, ensuring the health and well-being of all the women. Participants also received comprehensive counseling and support to address their concerns, ensuring a calm and reliable family planning experience.

“I chose to undergo tubal ligation (Pomeroy Method) to take care of my health and ensure a good quality of life for my two children. I also believe the current economic situation is challenging. With my decision, I’m contributing to environmental conservation by reducing pollution and teaching my children about the importance of protecting the environment by setting a good example.” 

- Maria, W4C member, Carmen de Atrato

ProAves and Women for Conservation are pleased to provide these family planning opportunities to rural women, who would not have access otherwise, due to living in Colombia’s most remote areas. Their participation highlights the importance of these initiatives in promoting reproductive health and women’s empowerment to make decisions over their own bodies.

Links:

• Accessible women's healthcare brigade 2024