A family planning special day at a Anyama facility.
What if the true driver of sustainable change in reproductive health isn’t external support – but local leadership? In Anyama, Côte d’Ivoire, that question has found a powerful answer.
Before The Challenge Initiative (TCI) began working in Anyama, the city faced significant barriers to effective family planning. Access to services was limited. Demand for modern contraception remained low, held back by insufficient awareness. And perhaps most critically, there was little coordination between the health system and municipal authorities.
High-impact interventions – postpartum family planning, community-based outreach, and dedicated family planning service days – had not been fully integrated into the health system. Providers and community health workers lacked the training to deliver quality services, while weak data systems undermined evidence-based decision-making.
Efforts existed, but without alignment, their impact was minimal. That began to change with TCI’s approach: placing local leadership at the center.
TCI supported Anyama in building a more coordinated, accountable, and sustainable system. Coordination platforms – co-chaired by the mayor – were established to oversee implementation and ensure regular monitoring. For the first time, municipal leaders, health authorities, and community actors were working together toward shared goals. Local leadership was no longer symbolic. It became a driving force.
At the same time, TCI’s coaching model strengthened the capacity of key stakeholders. Health providers expanded the quality and range of services they offered, while community health workers became essential connectors – raising awareness and linking women to care. Crucially, high-impact interventions were not just implemented but institutionalized, integrated into the city’s annual plans and budgets. This marked a decisive step toward sustainability.
One of the most transformative shifts, however, came from within the city itself. Through a co-financing model, Anyama established a dedicated budget line for family planning and went beyond its initial financial commitments to scale up priority interventions. This level of ownership signaled a strong commitment to sustaining progress well beyond external support.
The results speak for themselves. Between 2024 and 2025, the number of family planning clients increased by 80%, reaching more than 22,000 beneficiaries. Today, every eligible health facility in Anyama provides comprehensive family planning services, with high-impact approaches fully integrated into delivery.
But beyond the numbers, a deeper transformation is underway. In Anyama, local leaders are no longer just supporting change – they are leading it. Challenges remain. Delays in fund disbursement and disruptions in commodity supply continue to affect implementation. Yet the foundation for a resilient, locally driven system is now firmly in place.
Anyama’s journey shows that when local actors are empowered, equipped, and engaged, meaningful and lasting change becomes possible.
