KULOB, November 29, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- Over the past year, the project “I know!” on improving reproductive health in Tajikistan has provided family planning and reproductive health services for some 25,000 women of reproductive age in four pilot districts of Tajikistan, the project coordinator Shodiya Haidarova said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

According to her, the project works in the rurla areas near Dushanbe, Kulob, Roudaki and Rumi in partnership with Tajikistan''s Ministry of Health, regional and city health departments and centers, the National Reproductive Health Center, local municipalities, women’s organizations and associations, as well as the non-governmental organizations “Ghamkhori,” “Nakoukor,” and “Gender and Development.”

“The women of reproductive age in the mentioned districts receive all necessary consultations and the project registered modern contraceptives to be affordable by women in Tajikistan,” she said noting that another some 40,000 women of reproductive age will be covered by the project in 2009.   

With funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the project “I know!” works to expand services on reproductive health and family planning in rural areas. 

Project “I know!” is implemented by PSI, a leading world organization in the sector of social marketing, implementing projects in 70 countries of 5 continents.  PSI is a non-for-profit, non-governmental organization conducting advocacy and training campaigns to motivate proper use of specific products and services in the areas of family planning, mother and child health as well as HIV/AIDS prevention.