{"id":28741,"date":"2022-09-28T13:21:08","date_gmt":"2022-09-28T12:21:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/?p=28741"},"modified":"2022-09-28T16:14:30","modified_gmt":"2022-09-28T15:14:30","slug":"improving-community-health-to-boost-engagement-in-conservation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/en\/improving-community-health-to-boost-engagement-in-conservation\/","title":{"rendered":"Improving community health to boost engagement in conservation"},"content":{"rendered":"

I sat down with Edith Ngunjiri, our Technical Advisor, Health-Environment Partnerships, to get her insights on the health-environment approach following the 15<\/span>th<\/span> anniversary of the Blue Ventures <\/span>Safidy<\/span><\/a> programme. The community health programme has integrated health activities within marine conservation programmes since August 2007 in Madagascar.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Traditional pirogue sailing in Velondriake LMMA | Credits: Ben McMahon, Blue Ventures.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

\u201cThe health-environment approach connects the health and wellness of the people to the health and protection of the environment, ensuring people are healthy so that they can be better stewards of nature,\u201d she said. <\/span>Evidence<\/span><\/a> shows how communities experiencing poorer health tend to use natural resources less sustainably. In fisher communities, this can mean using illegal or destructive fishing gears that are more convenient and less physically demanding.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A Vezo woman gleans for octopus in the Velondriake LMMA. | Credits: Garth Cripps, Blue Ventures.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

On the flip side, strengthening community health can improve the local environment and people\u2019s engagement in marine conservation activities. \u201cHealthy people are better able to look after their environment, and a healthy environment will provide the much-needed resources for the people, which is why we started Safidy,\u201d said Ngunjiri. Safidy began in Velondriake<\/a>, Madagascar\u2019s first locally managed marine area<\/a>, where there was a huge unmet need for family planning. The response focused on providing voluntary family planning services, which enabled women to decide the number of children they wanted and when to have them.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A mother and baby during a festival in Velondriake, Madagascar. | Credits: Louise Jasper, Blue Ventures<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

From providing voluntary family planning in 2007 in one area, Safidy has grown into a community health programme offering health services in 89 villages across the northwest, southwest and midwest regions and supporting outreach activities in 54 other villages. In low-income or remote communities where health services are lacking or absent, helping coastal communities rebuild their tropical fisheries means ensuring they are physically equipped. We\u2019ve seen how engaging women and young people in health-related matters allows them to lead healthier lives and participate in marine conservation activities. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Safidy programme has improved women\u2019s lives and strengthened their roles in development. Women have joined alternative income-generating activities that have raised their status and household income and offered a chance to plan more for the future. As such, many more women now take part in coastal and fisheries-related conservation activities.<\/span><\/p>\n