President of UCOZ, Benin, Says His Community is Benefitting from the TCI Platform

by | Oct 18, 2019

Luc Sètondji Atropko is the President of the Union of Zou Municipalities (UCOZ), the Mayor of Bohicon and President of the National Association of Benin’s Communes (ANCB).

Contributor: Hugues Ghanaoui & Sarah Brittingham

Since April 2018, The Challenge Initiative (TCI) has worked side by side with the Union of Zou Municipalities and Benin’s health system to boost use of and access to family planning by institutionalizing systematic referrals of women of reproductive age and offering family planning days where methods can be accessed for free by women and youth of reproductive age.

Community health workers raise awareness about the benefits of family planning among men, women, and married youth by conducting home visits. And Young Transformational Leaders work directly with the local government and health authorities to advocate for family planning and adolescent and youth-friendly services.

The nine communes that comprise the UCOZ municipalities have committed to reaching the national goal of a 20% contraceptive prevalence rate by 2021. Having recruited more than 6,710 new users in its first year, the commune exceeded its goals.

The dedication of UCOZ as municipalities and the dynamic leadership of President Luc Sètondji Atropko and other engaged mayors have shepherded these impressive gains. TCI’s Fatimata Sow sat down recently for a video interview (below) with President Atropko for a deeper dive into his insights about family planning, adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health, and the sustainability of TCI’s proven approaches.