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2024 World Vasectomy Day Proposal

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Project Name

World Vasectomy Day, 2024: The Regional Coordinator Program

Dates

July 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025

Amount Requested

40,000

LOCATION

Project Goal

WVD 2024 is a global program with a rotating headquarte which will be located Zambia for 2024, with activitie in dozens of other countrie and the participation doctors in up to 50 countrie

With WVD 2024 taking plac in Zambia, we have establishe alliances with the Ministry Health, IPPF Zambia, the Men Health Network and Mar Stopes Zambia

We had been arranging vase and MS Zambia’s primary clin services exclusively in our n MSI had been charging WVD about $40 a procedure for use of their services. We were covering the doctor’s fees (and separately paying for the WVD trained surgeon) Even if they are not doing vasectomies, we will continue to partner with these groups

With sporadic and inconsistent funding for men’s reproductive health programs in Africa, vasectomy acceptance in Africa has mostly stagnated Regardless, WVD is committed to alternate the location of our annual event between Latin America and Africa To that end, in anticipation of choosing Zambia as the WVD HQ for 2024, in March 2023, we organized a major training with two experts from the US and Canada

The results exceeded expectations, 60 men participated in our first training and we had 131 more throughout the year In 2022, there were only 7 vasectomies reported to the MoH. Already in 2024, we have passed 50 procedures. We have aligned with every major reproductive health group in the country, signed a letter of Intent with the MoH and as well as training 5 doctors, we’ve develop a strong communications team. In February, 2024, we opened our first WVD Clinic in the world, and where we have provided nearly 60 vasectomies in the first quarter alone.

POPULATION

Project Goal

Our target population are men, and couples, whose family is complete. The ages range greatly depending on multiple factors, including countries with laws that place age restrictions on eligible candidatesIn all instances we follow the law of the land. Over the years, ages of vasectomy acceptors have ranged from 18- 60 years old, but the majority are between 35 and 44 years old. While we don’t actively advocate for young men to consider a vasectomy, in countries where the right to make that decision is not age restricted, we always follow the law and the guidance of our local partners

A trend, we’ve been discussing for a numbers years is the increase in younger men convinced that they do not want, and for all intents and purposes, will never want to have children. This is a phenomenon that bears observation.

Although, we’ve not done a complete study, informal conversations with this demographic indicates two trending factors:

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A sense of despair about the state of the planet, including climate change. Certainly, this is more prevalent and feels more dire because of social media platforms.

1. Many young people share that they are more likely to be happy (and acquire the material goods associated with happiness) with fewer or no children.

Our campaigns continue to focus primarily on urban dwellers. That said, this year, we’ve been asked by the MoH of Zambia to present a plan to bring vasectomy services to two cities/provinces outside of the capital of Lusaka.

PLANNED ACTIVITIES

Based on past successes and with our current level of funding, by December 31, 2024, World Vasectomy Day will achieve the following:

Inspire upwards of 1000 doctors in 30+ countries to do at least 20,000 procedures during the November WVD celebration

Motivate 500 doctors and 500 medical students from 40+ countries and 10 medical schools to attend quarterly webinar series, as well as our annual Summit programs

Oversee our first training program in Uganda for two doctors

Organize a training program for 4 doctors in Argentina

Produce the introductory course for vasectomy providers on the WVD Academy online platform

Complete 300

vasectomies at our WVD Clinic in Lusaka, Zambia

Inspire and train 25 community health workers specialized in men’s reproductive health and vasectomy in Zambia and 15 community health specialized in men’s reproductive health and vasectomy in Uganda

Organize the Responsible Men’s Club and sign up 100 men in Zambia and Uganda and 100 men in Argentina

Produce 25 short films for WVD

Reach 1000 men in Zambia in house to house visits with Community Health workers

Sign up 25 new doctors to their directory

Publish an IRB approved article about vasectomy training in Bolivia

Produce main WVD activities in Argentina and Zambia, with programs in a dozen other countries

PARTNERSHIPS AND COORDINATION

This year, once again we’ll be working with UNFPA, FP2030, CIFF, DKT, USAID in Tanzania, the Ministry of Health in Zambia, Argentina, Mexico, El Salvador, and Urganda, IPPF, as well as service providers including Marie Stopes, CIES, PROSALUD in Bolivia, CEMOPLAF in Ecuador, Reach a Hand in Uganda, Amergerwa in Rwanda, several IPPF country affiliates and local organizations whose interests include men’s reproductive health, environmental activism and women’s rights.

While we recognize that sustainable and scalable vasectomy programs require active participation from the public sector, we believe that without sufficient resources, and/or a truly engaged and committed public health partner such as in Mexico or currently with Argentina at the Ministry of Health for the Province of Buenos Aires, introducing a new vasectomy program is more easily achieved wit pilot projects carried out in partnership with individual doctors, grassroots organizations and service providing NGOs

In March of this year, we launched our first WVD Clinic in Lusaka, Zambia in partnership with Dr Robert Kachacha who was our ‘star’ trainee during the March 2023 training mission. Our clinic will not only offer vasectomy services, but will also be providing general health services for men The center will host a weekly gathering of male champions - men who have their vasectomy and have agreed to continue advocating in their communities. These sessions are already proving to be an extremely effective element in the our demand generation campaign.

As a side note, two weeks ago, three women asked to form their own champions club, including being trained as community reproductive health advocates In one week, they inspired 5 new clients! We had not anticipated a support group/club for women, but now have plans to do so.

In every country we work, we ask our regional coordinators to construct what we call a ‘constellation of power’ This is a ‘map’ of possible allies, individuals and institutions. As a small organization covering a very large ‘footprint’, our work depends heavily on our capacity to build partnerships with strategic allies. The nature of the relationship and the partners themselves, varies from country to country, but the categories of organizations we seek to collaborate remain consistent

DR. KIZZA BLAIR, UGANDA COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATORUGANDA/ZAMBIA/NIGERIA/TANZANIA AND RWANDA

Kizza has been crucial in developing communications strategies with our medical student associations throughout the continent. He has inspired between 150-300 students for each event This year we are expanding his role to oversee our social media platforms in Africa.

ZULU DALISO, ZAMBIA

WVD CLINIC AND MEN’S REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CLUB, ZAMBIA RESPONSIBLE MEN’S CLUB (RMC)

Zulu has been the right hand person to Sheila Gabeya (WVD’s Managing Director for Africa) since 2022 He’s now overseeing the launch of our WVD clinic in Lusaka and will be supervising the RMC in Zambia.

IBRAHIM NKONGE, UGANDA PROGRAM COORDINATOR, UGANDA

Ibrahim has been working in Uganda on issues of male reproduction for several years (he was previously with Reach a Hand Uganda) and is currently WVD’s lead person on the ground there. With his leadership, we will be launching our first capacity training program there in 2024 in anticipation of opening our second clinic In the meantime, we have signed a deal with Marie Stopes to do vasectomies at their clinic. At present, we anticipate bringing WVD HQ to Uganda in 2026

SARAH NABWIRE, UGANDA ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT- AFRICA

We are bringing Sarah on board as an administrative assistant for Africa One of our main objectives is to begin streamlining and systematizing our internal communications programs, including managing expenditures and data

ISABEL GALEANO, TANZANIA/COLOMBIA/ARGENTINA ROAD TRIP MANAGER/COMMUNICATIONS/SPANISH

Based in Arusha, Isabel speaks Spanish, English and is currently learning Swahili We are currently in discussion with USAID office in Dar Es Salam to build a vasectomy program in country. In addition, Isabel is producing our Heartland of America Road Trip and will be returning to Tanzania following our production in July

MARIA EUGENIA VERA CRUZ, MEXICO

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, MEXICO

COORDINATOR/FINANCIAL/BOOKKEEPING

Maria Eugenia (Maru) has been a key figure in our work in Mexico and again in Bolivia. As Mexico remains the most important ally in our work, Maru will be maintaining communication with our Mexican partners and help expand our program into El Salvador.

PROGRAM OFFICER FOR ARGENTINA PROGRAM (TBD)

We are currently seeking an additional coordinator in Buenos Aires. We’ve already signed a letter of intent and are developing a three year partnership with the Ministry of Health for the province of Buenos Aires. The Argentine coordinator will help oversee this program

CO - SUPERVISOR: SILVANA RESENDY BIRHUETT, BOLIVIA/BRAZIL

MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

Coming off of two straight years as WVD producer, first in Mexico in 2022 and Bolivia in 2023, Silvana is now in charge of Latin America, including Argentina which has been designated as host for our 2025 WVD celebration. She’ll also be in charge of the programming events at the ICFP from November 3-6, 2025

CO - SUPERVISOR: SHEILA GABEYA DIMON, ZAMBIA/UGANDA

MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR AFRICA

One of our longest standing employees (2016-2024), Sheila has risen up the ranks from assistant Director of Programs for Africa. She will be in charge of this year’s WVD HQ program, including the 24 Hour Vasectomy-athon and Global Celebration in Zambia with a number of activities planned throughout Africa Sheila is in charge of all of the African based regional coordinators

LOCALIZED STRATEGY AND IMPLEMENTATION

Regional coordinators understand the cultural, economic, and social nuances of their specific locales This local knowledge enables WVD to tailor its strategies to the particular needs and sensitivities of different regions, thereby ensuring that its programs are relevant and impactful.

The following are 11 areas in which the Regional Coordinators will contribute in 2024 2

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BUILDING LOCAL NETWORKS

DEMAND GENERATION

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Coordinators play a role in organizing and driving demand generation activities, including community outreach and education campaigns. By doing so, they help to overcome barriers to vasectomy uptake, such as myths and misinformation.

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Coordinators have been instrumental in establishing and nurturing connections with local health providers, NGOs, government agencies, and community leaders These networks are crucial for program delivery, raising awareness, and ensuring sustainability.

LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION

The regional coordinators speak the local language(s) and communicate most effectively with the target populations They are also able to adapt WVD's messaging to be culturally and linguistically appropriate

TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING

Through the regional coordinators, WVD has been able to identify local doctors and health professionals for training, thus expanding the pool of skilled vasectomy providers and potential trainers This creates a ripple effect, with trained professionals potentially training others and expanding service availability The coordinators also work with medical schools, medical school associations and medical students Between 150-500 students regularly participate in our quarterly webinars and annual Summit

EVENT COORDINATION

They are responsible for organizing events such as the 24-hour Global Conversation and Vasectomyathon, which are central to WVD's awareness-raising efforts These events provide platforms for crosscultural exchange and global visibility.

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ADVOCACY AND POLICY INFLUENCE

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Coordinators often engage with policy-makers and advocate for policy changes that support male involvement in family planning and normalize vasectomy, thereby affecting systemic change.

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FEEDBACK LOOP

Regional coordinators provide valuable feedback from the field, which helps WVD to continuously refine and improve its programs They identify what works, what doesn't, and the reasons why, which informs strategic decisions at the global level.

RESOURCE ALLOCATION

They help determine how best to allocate resources and identify funding opportunities within their regions, ensuring that WVD's efforts are sustainable and well-supported

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

By collecting data and monitoring the progress of various initiatives, regional coordinators contribute to the evaluation of WVD's impact across different contexts This is essential for reporting to stakeholders and funders

EXPANSION TO NEW REGIONS

As ambassadors for WVD, the regional coordinators are vital in extending the organization's reach to new countries, often starting small and scaling up as they establish the program's effectiveness and build trust

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In conclusion, the regional coordinator program, WVD has effectively turned a central vision into a multitude of locally-driven actions, thereby creating a global impact that respects and responds to local needs and diversities.

BUILDING ON SUCCESS

WVD plans to continue building on our strong relationships with Ministries of Health and international organizations like UNFPA and FP2030, but getting men to become advocates for these services is something that needs more attention on our part With the recent announcement of ICFP’s decision to bring their 2025 even to Bogota, we are already strategizing a strong role for WVD

2. We continue developing our WVD Academy in which we will be able to offer standardized training and support for healthcare providers We have recently added a new full time position to help build our program in 2024.

We are working with UNFPA to put together a complete package of all the required instruments and materials through their Supply Chain Management Unit in Copenhagen

3. We just launched our first vasectomy and reproductive health clinic in Zambia It will cater specifically to men’s health needs, including providing vasectomy services. The Center will also serve as headquarters for our Responsible Men’s Health Club (RMHC)

4 Improve and establish better internal and external systems to automate and streamline work across different countries and languages

5. Set the ground work in place to bring WVD headquarters to Argentina in 2025.

6. WVD’s governance will implement a more structured data collection method to improve reporting and tracking of vasectomy numbers.

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7 WVD will focus on establishing a more consistent presence by creating dedicated spaces where men can receive information and counseling on vasectomies.

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WVD has done an excellent job of harnessing the good will and interests of doctors, institutional allies, and reproductive health advocates. We believe that to truly turn our program into a sizable and significant movement, we have to do the same with vasectomy acceptors. To this end, we are launching the WVD ‘Responsible Men’s Health Club’.

When we started WVD, it was a single day activity. Now, we have programs that take place throughout the year Here is the most up to date schedule for this year’s programs. More events will take place in our three primary countries: Argentina, Uganda and Zambia as the year unfolds.

The events focus on developing the three pillars that reflect our our programmatic approach: Demand

SCHEDULE 2024

MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND LEARNING

This year, we have begun developing new tools to measure the indicators we’ve established with CIFF. To facilitate the data collection, we will work closely with an estimated 300 clients who will be receiving services at the WVD clinic in Lusaka.

M&E: Bolivia

For the first time, WVD was able to set up a highly effective research protocol in Bolivia. The full report is included as an attachment.

M&E: Tools in Zambia and Uganda:

Objective:

The full protocol (included as an attachment) serves as a comprehensive guide to identify and empower male champions for family planning, particularly those promoting vasectomy. These champions will play a crucial role in initiating conversations and fostering understanding and acceptance of vasectomy

OUR RECRUITMENT ECOSYSTEM

STEP 7 COMMITMENT TO REPORTING

7.1 Regular Reporting 72 Documentation

As part of our commitment to improve evidence based programmatic evaluation tools, we are currently migrating our work to a much more sophisticated database This will allow us to track and evaluate the myriad ways our ‘partners/participants’ engage with World Vasectomy Day

These new tools include:

A. Sign-up sheets for virtual events, including webinars, Symposium, Summit. We are interested in seeing who shows up for which events, who participates in the events and if this correlates with donations.

B. Google Analytics and FB tools to track our social media footprint, including online impressions. We use social media to increase membership in the WVD experience. This includes men and women interested in learning more about vasectomy or choosing to get one and doctors who want to join our movement, including registering on our provider directory

C. Views of YouTube Channel. We have to date, produced or inspired over 500 short films, including testimonials, animations,, and V/R experiences.

D. Numbers of Vasectomies and CYPs completed. While numbers of procedures is not necessarily a fully accurate measure of success (a man introduced to vasectomy at age 22, might not choose this option for a decade or more), it certainly helps us evaluate the short term and immediate popularity of the procedure In places where we focused most heavily (this year it will be in Argentina, Uganda and Zambia), we’ll have more sophisticated (and useful data) about the age, education level, etc. of ‘acceptors’.

Since we’ve been working exclusively with local partners, to date, we’ve not had to report to governments. Each organziation and doctor is responsible for filing as required by the health system. As we are opening our first clinic in Lusaka, Zambia, wie will file a report to the Ministry, in conjunction with our designated WVD provider, Dr. Robert Kachacha. As for reporting to our donors, we simply aggregate the numbers from our Google form and informal surveys We have no way, nor is there need to audit these numbers.

OTHER PROJECTS SYSTEM FOR REPORTING SERVICE DATA

Explore and test best practices for engaging men to transform

Increase awareness of vasectomy in 4-6 states where abortion access is restricted that includes creating a documentary about a 2-week road trip The goal is to perform 100 vasectomies.