- - -

Stories

Latest stories from IPPF

Spotlight

A selection of stories from across the Federation

CSE Choice

Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, St Lucia

Story

Revolutionizing CSE: Latin American and Caribbean Youth Leading the Charge!

The article sheds light on the critical lack of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) for young people in Latin America and the Caribbean. Through the personal stories of youth advocates Claudia Helena Castro Nieto and Shenelle Mc Donald, it explores the challenges they faced and the transformative impact of CSE.
lgbtq
story

| 04 May 2021

Navigating the LGBTQI Community to SRHR

In a country as diverse as Trinidad and Tobago, with 1.4 million varying hues and heritages, there still exists an arduous uphill climb for certain key populations. Conquering this apex of equality seems to be evasive as Government policy, general public perception and lack of education remain strong winds of opposition.  For persons like Brandy Rodriguez, Healthcare Navigator at the Family Planning Association of Trinidad and Tobago (FPATT), the struggle is both real and personal. In 1999, Brandy began her transition to womanhood and since 2006 has been working with FPATT in their HIV programme for the LGBTQI Community.   “Back in 2004, very little was said about HIV infection, transmission and prevention. In fact, if there was any information, it was misconstrued and meant to stigmatize the LGBTQI community. I was fairly new to the transgender community, so I made it a mission to research and find out the truths behind HIV and how I could protect myself. I then felt like I had to share what I found with others who were searching as well,” she said. That’s when FPATT asked Brandy to join their team in educating the LGBTQI community on the scope of healthcare that was available to them and guiding them to these resources within the public healthcare system. Since there was so much stigma surrounding the community, many of its members often stayed hidden under the shroud of comments that the gays and lesbians were the cause for the rise of HIV within Trinidad and Tobago. Even if a member of the LGBTQI community wanted to test for their HIV status, they would never dare to go into a public Health Centre, simply because of the fear of being judged by the healthcare professionals.  “It’s a simple case of this. When a transgender or non-binary person walks into a Health Centre or hospital, and the triage nurse has to fill in a form that asks for gender, the only two options there are Male and Female. So usually, the non-binary person knows that if they want to access that healthcare, free of judgement, they would have to dress as the gender that would bring the less undue attention. At the end of the day, the healthcare provider does not receive accurate information about the client, and the client doesn’t receive the scope of assessment and treatment that may be necessary. So part of what I do, is to simply accompany the client to the appointment so that it’s a less stressful experience and they don’t feel like they are alone,” says Brandy.    Advocating for greater support Apart from a great lack of healthcare professionals that are willing to treat with the LGBTQI community non-judgementally, the community also lacks social support. Most of the members of the community face barriers in housing and employment, which means that they are easily swayed into earning their livelihood as sex workers. Over 95% of skilled and employable persons within the LGBTQI community have turned to sex work because they are constantly denied employment within other industries.  “When I began my transition, I was fortunate to have the support of my family; they understood my heart and my need to be my authentic self. Not everyone has that support and so some either migrate or are left homeless because of the fact. Having to work within the sex industry means that they are now at greater risk for HIV or other STIs. My job as an Educator and Navigator is to promote condom use and ensure that they make use of FPATT’s regular HIV testing. If they do test positive, we then have that conversation about U=U, which means that if they (their HIV viral load) are undetectable, they will be untransferable, and then get them to that place of undetectability,” she states.  Brandy explains that being undetectable means that the client’s viral load is suppressed and they are living healthy lives. Since HIV infection has long been touted as a death sentence, the Educators work hard to ensure that 90% of persons who identify to be HIV Positive enrol in the FPATT Programme and 90% of those persons living with HIV (PLHIV) understand the importance of being adherent, through consistent treatment, healthy eating and rest. The Programme also offers sexual and reproductive health education on prevention against HIV re-infection and other STIs in the belief that SRHR interventions are preventative, cost effective, and would save lives and resources that would otherwise be spent on higher-level care. In addition, clients are navigated to medical practitioners and counsellors who can address issues of gender-based violence and mental health.  The Family Planning Association of Trinidad and Tobago has for many years advocated for sexual and reproductive rights of the LGBTQI community, ensuring that it remains a safe place for HIV testing and counselling. It holds a vision of a world where gender or sexuality are no longer a source of inequality or stigma, which is why every year, FPATT offers a total of 920 tests, 48 group sessions and additional one-on-one sessions accessible by all persons living within Trinidad and Tobago.  Following an assessment by PAHO, FPATT is poised to become a full service HIV treatment site, offering antiretroviral treatment (ART) as well as psychosocial services for persons affected by HIV. The Association’s goal is to stop discrimination and stigma against PLHIV and ultimately end the spread of HIV within Trinidad and Tobago by 2030.   

lgbtq
story

| 28 March 2024

Navigating the LGBTQI Community to SRHR

In a country as diverse as Trinidad and Tobago, with 1.4 million varying hues and heritages, there still exists an arduous uphill climb for certain key populations. Conquering this apex of equality seems to be evasive as Government policy, general public perception and lack of education remain strong winds of opposition.  For persons like Brandy Rodriguez, Healthcare Navigator at the Family Planning Association of Trinidad and Tobago (FPATT), the struggle is both real and personal. In 1999, Brandy began her transition to womanhood and since 2006 has been working with FPATT in their HIV programme for the LGBTQI Community.   “Back in 2004, very little was said about HIV infection, transmission and prevention. In fact, if there was any information, it was misconstrued and meant to stigmatize the LGBTQI community. I was fairly new to the transgender community, so I made it a mission to research and find out the truths behind HIV and how I could protect myself. I then felt like I had to share what I found with others who were searching as well,” she said. That’s when FPATT asked Brandy to join their team in educating the LGBTQI community on the scope of healthcare that was available to them and guiding them to these resources within the public healthcare system. Since there was so much stigma surrounding the community, many of its members often stayed hidden under the shroud of comments that the gays and lesbians were the cause for the rise of HIV within Trinidad and Tobago. Even if a member of the LGBTQI community wanted to test for their HIV status, they would never dare to go into a public Health Centre, simply because of the fear of being judged by the healthcare professionals.  “It’s a simple case of this. When a transgender or non-binary person walks into a Health Centre or hospital, and the triage nurse has to fill in a form that asks for gender, the only two options there are Male and Female. So usually, the non-binary person knows that if they want to access that healthcare, free of judgement, they would have to dress as the gender that would bring the less undue attention. At the end of the day, the healthcare provider does not receive accurate information about the client, and the client doesn’t receive the scope of assessment and treatment that may be necessary. So part of what I do, is to simply accompany the client to the appointment so that it’s a less stressful experience and they don’t feel like they are alone,” says Brandy.    Advocating for greater support Apart from a great lack of healthcare professionals that are willing to treat with the LGBTQI community non-judgementally, the community also lacks social support. Most of the members of the community face barriers in housing and employment, which means that they are easily swayed into earning their livelihood as sex workers. Over 95% of skilled and employable persons within the LGBTQI community have turned to sex work because they are constantly denied employment within other industries.  “When I began my transition, I was fortunate to have the support of my family; they understood my heart and my need to be my authentic self. Not everyone has that support and so some either migrate or are left homeless because of the fact. Having to work within the sex industry means that they are now at greater risk for HIV or other STIs. My job as an Educator and Navigator is to promote condom use and ensure that they make use of FPATT’s regular HIV testing. If they do test positive, we then have that conversation about U=U, which means that if they (their HIV viral load) are undetectable, they will be untransferable, and then get them to that place of undetectability,” she states.  Brandy explains that being undetectable means that the client’s viral load is suppressed and they are living healthy lives. Since HIV infection has long been touted as a death sentence, the Educators work hard to ensure that 90% of persons who identify to be HIV Positive enrol in the FPATT Programme and 90% of those persons living with HIV (PLHIV) understand the importance of being adherent, through consistent treatment, healthy eating and rest. The Programme also offers sexual and reproductive health education on prevention against HIV re-infection and other STIs in the belief that SRHR interventions are preventative, cost effective, and would save lives and resources that would otherwise be spent on higher-level care. In addition, clients are navigated to medical practitioners and counsellors who can address issues of gender-based violence and mental health.  The Family Planning Association of Trinidad and Tobago has for many years advocated for sexual and reproductive rights of the LGBTQI community, ensuring that it remains a safe place for HIV testing and counselling. It holds a vision of a world where gender or sexuality are no longer a source of inequality or stigma, which is why every year, FPATT offers a total of 920 tests, 48 group sessions and additional one-on-one sessions accessible by all persons living within Trinidad and Tobago.  Following an assessment by PAHO, FPATT is poised to become a full service HIV treatment site, offering antiretroviral treatment (ART) as well as psychosocial services for persons affected by HIV. The Association’s goal is to stop discrimination and stigma against PLHIV and ultimately end the spread of HIV within Trinidad and Tobago by 2030.   

 Jonathan Trinidad FPA IEC coordinator
story

| 03 May 2021

Providing tailored comprehensive sexuality education

A passionate advocate for comprehensive sexuality education, Jonathan is Famia Planea Aruba’s (FPA) IEC coordinator and manages the scheduling, guiding, and delivery of school projects. As part of this role, he works closely with students to help support and shape their projects.  “We are approached almost on a daily bases, throughout the school year, by students needing appointments for their school projects. These projects can vary from information about sexual and reproductive health and rights to the internal structure of FPA as an organization. That is why it is very important to first ask what kind of project the student has been tasked with. Questions such as school, grade level, course name, number of students, project goal and due date are among just a few of the primary questions that must be asked when scheduling a school project”, Jonathan says. FPA has developed information packages that are topic-ready for most of the general projects. These are used as an information base, while the presentation and appointment are tailored to each individual student.  “We will sometimes receive multiple students or groups for the same project, this is bound to happen when an entire class receives the same project, it is then up to me to make each appointment different while providing the same information. Digital presentation is usually my tool of choice. This provides me the possibility to incorporate all the necessary information, but I can always make a few tweaks to personalize each presentation”, says Jonathan.  During project weeks at most of the schools, the FPA office can be busy with visiting students.  “After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic most of the school project appointments became digital meetings. Removing the human contact can sometime provide new challenges for both the students and us. This demands that the student be more prepared than before with sharper questions, since the traditional conversation that usually leads to more questions is different when using digital methods, but we will do our best to help the student in every way possible”, Jonathan mentions.  

 Jonathan Trinidad FPA IEC coordinator
story

| 29 March 2024

Providing tailored comprehensive sexuality education

A passionate advocate for comprehensive sexuality education, Jonathan is Famia Planea Aruba’s (FPA) IEC coordinator and manages the scheduling, guiding, and delivery of school projects. As part of this role, he works closely with students to help support and shape their projects.  “We are approached almost on a daily bases, throughout the school year, by students needing appointments for their school projects. These projects can vary from information about sexual and reproductive health and rights to the internal structure of FPA as an organization. That is why it is very important to first ask what kind of project the student has been tasked with. Questions such as school, grade level, course name, number of students, project goal and due date are among just a few of the primary questions that must be asked when scheduling a school project”, Jonathan says. FPA has developed information packages that are topic-ready for most of the general projects. These are used as an information base, while the presentation and appointment are tailored to each individual student.  “We will sometimes receive multiple students or groups for the same project, this is bound to happen when an entire class receives the same project, it is then up to me to make each appointment different while providing the same information. Digital presentation is usually my tool of choice. This provides me the possibility to incorporate all the necessary information, but I can always make a few tweaks to personalize each presentation”, says Jonathan.  During project weeks at most of the schools, the FPA office can be busy with visiting students.  “After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic most of the school project appointments became digital meetings. Removing the human contact can sometime provide new challenges for both the students and us. This demands that the student be more prepared than before with sharper questions, since the traditional conversation that usually leads to more questions is different when using digital methods, but we will do our best to help the student in every way possible”, Jonathan mentions.  

FPA Client Christopher Robles Age: 35 Occupation: Account Manager Marketing Agency
story

| 21 April 2021

Reaching 7,000 clients

Famia Planea Aruba (FPA) is proud to be able to serve over 7,000 clients and celebrated its 50th anniversary in November 2020. FPA strives to live up to the motto, ‘Improving your quality of life’, by ensuring its healthcare provision is accessible to everyone.  One regular client is Christopher, an account manager at a local marketing agency. “I am truly a big fan of FPA, they are really good at being inclusive to men as well as women. The entire staff is very client orientated, I have never felt judged or discriminated against while using any of their services, or while at their office. They are always ready to answer any questions I may have or ease any concern.” FPA has built a strong bond of trust and communication with its clients by sharing regular updates on their work and projects.  “I try as much as possible to stay up-to-date with FPA, I have followed all of their projects so far and have really enjoyed them. I can still remember when I was younger and had my first girlfriend, FPA was my go-to for information, guidance, tips and tricks. They are very good at adapting to each situation, whether it is personal, local or even global”.  FPA places great emphasis on listening to the community it supports to better understand their needs. This enables the team to provide their clients with carefully researched and targeted healthcare.  “Over the years, FPA has gone above and beyond to provide both myself and my partner with information and contraceptives. Over the last few years, in addition to visiting their office, I can follow-up my consultation by asking them additional questions through their social media counseling or even the delivery service”, says Christopher.  

FPA Client Christopher Robles Age: 35 Occupation: Account Manager Marketing Agency
story

| 29 March 2024

Reaching 7,000 clients

Famia Planea Aruba (FPA) is proud to be able to serve over 7,000 clients and celebrated its 50th anniversary in November 2020. FPA strives to live up to the motto, ‘Improving your quality of life’, by ensuring its healthcare provision is accessible to everyone.  One regular client is Christopher, an account manager at a local marketing agency. “I am truly a big fan of FPA, they are really good at being inclusive to men as well as women. The entire staff is very client orientated, I have never felt judged or discriminated against while using any of their services, or while at their office. They are always ready to answer any questions I may have or ease any concern.” FPA has built a strong bond of trust and communication with its clients by sharing regular updates on their work and projects.  “I try as much as possible to stay up-to-date with FPA, I have followed all of their projects so far and have really enjoyed them. I can still remember when I was younger and had my first girlfriend, FPA was my go-to for information, guidance, tips and tricks. They are very good at adapting to each situation, whether it is personal, local or even global”.  FPA places great emphasis on listening to the community it supports to better understand their needs. This enables the team to provide their clients with carefully researched and targeted healthcare.  “Over the years, FPA has gone above and beyond to provide both myself and my partner with information and contraceptives. Over the last few years, in addition to visiting their office, I can follow-up my consultation by asking them additional questions through their social media counseling or even the delivery service”, says Christopher.  

 Lisen Lalwani Information, Education, and Communication Support Staff at FPA.
story

| 20 April 2021

Information is the key to health and wellbeing

During the 1970’s Aruba’s population was rapidly growing; yet one-third of all pregnancies were unplanned. With the arrival of Famia Planea Aruba (FPA), local communities were able to access health and contraceptive care. For more than 50 years FPA has evolved and adapted its healthcare provision to meet the needs of the growing and changing community. Access to contraception continues to be FPA’s most in demand healthcare provision.  “As a recently graduated Social Worker, I feel it is very important to provide both, men and women, with information and products regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights. We hear far too often that preventing an unwanted pregnancy should be the woman’s responsibility, especially from our male counterparts”, says Lisen, one of the Information, Education, and Communication Support Staff at FPA. During a one-on-one consultation at the FPA office, everyone is provided with information individual to their own needs as well as that of their partner. This information is provided by a trained IEC member of the team.  “I believe in the values of FPA, and that information is the key to health and a prosperous future. When counseling an individual, I try to take time to get to know the person the best I can in what is usually a short period. By building a trust relationship with each client they are more inclined to open up and ask the questions they truly need help with. What for one person might seem a small issue might be something huge for another one when as a counselor you are able to assess each individual, you can achieve so much”, Lisen says. What sets FPA apart from a pharmacy is the integrated care provision. This includes guidance provided with the contraceptives, the individually tailored care for each client, and working in close partnership with family practitioners, midwives and the local general health insurance provider. “There are some clients that you see so often that they almost become like family in a way, as soon as you see them you can already anticipate their needs. I am just 25 years old which means that some of the clients are my age, some older, some younger. Seeing someone you helped out in public and having them greet you or tell you that you did a great job helping them is such a wonderful feeling, I don’t know if I will ever get used to it”, Lisen says.

 Lisen Lalwani Information, Education, and Communication Support Staff at FPA.
story

| 28 March 2024

Information is the key to health and wellbeing

During the 1970’s Aruba’s population was rapidly growing; yet one-third of all pregnancies were unplanned. With the arrival of Famia Planea Aruba (FPA), local communities were able to access health and contraceptive care. For more than 50 years FPA has evolved and adapted its healthcare provision to meet the needs of the growing and changing community. Access to contraception continues to be FPA’s most in demand healthcare provision.  “As a recently graduated Social Worker, I feel it is very important to provide both, men and women, with information and products regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights. We hear far too often that preventing an unwanted pregnancy should be the woman’s responsibility, especially from our male counterparts”, says Lisen, one of the Information, Education, and Communication Support Staff at FPA. During a one-on-one consultation at the FPA office, everyone is provided with information individual to their own needs as well as that of their partner. This information is provided by a trained IEC member of the team.  “I believe in the values of FPA, and that information is the key to health and a prosperous future. When counseling an individual, I try to take time to get to know the person the best I can in what is usually a short period. By building a trust relationship with each client they are more inclined to open up and ask the questions they truly need help with. What for one person might seem a small issue might be something huge for another one when as a counselor you are able to assess each individual, you can achieve so much”, Lisen says. What sets FPA apart from a pharmacy is the integrated care provision. This includes guidance provided with the contraceptives, the individually tailored care for each client, and working in close partnership with family practitioners, midwives and the local general health insurance provider. “There are some clients that you see so often that they almost become like family in a way, as soon as you see them you can already anticipate their needs. I am just 25 years old which means that some of the clients are my age, some older, some younger. Seeing someone you helped out in public and having them greet you or tell you that you did a great job helping them is such a wonderful feeling, I don’t know if I will ever get used to it”, Lisen says.

Richenella Dirks started at FPA as an intern over ten years ago
story

| 19 April 2021

Providing information and contraceptive care to young people

Accessibility to information and contraceptives has always been a priority for Famia Planea Aruba (FPA), whether through the office, delivery service, or in schools.  For over fifteen years FPA has worked in partnership with one of the largest secondary schools on the island. The FPA team visits the school on a monthly basis to provide guidance, counseling, and contraceptive care to students and to help ensure they stay in school to complete their education.  “One of my first experiences providing comprehensive sex education, with FPA was at the EPB School during my education as a social worker, many years later I still very much enjoy this”, says Richenella, FPA’s Finance and IEC support staff. FPA’s client is at the heart of its healthcare provision. FPA staff work with students to build trust and ensure they feel safe to talk openly. This helps to provide a sense of consistency for the student, as well as efficiency for the team being familiar with specific students and cases. They are better able to notice if something changes, and if a student needs a referral to a medical doctor or other organization for additional treatment. “The consultations are always fun; you get a change of scenery by stepping out of the office. Over the years you see so many faces and still, somehow you manage to remember most of them. After just a few visits you can start to build a profile of most students, you can start to tell who the class clown is, the Mister Popular, the shy one, the loud one, and the one who just wants to take his time to avoid going back to class”, Richenella laughs.  

Richenella Dirks started at FPA as an intern over ten years ago
story

| 29 March 2024

Providing information and contraceptive care to young people

Accessibility to information and contraceptives has always been a priority for Famia Planea Aruba (FPA), whether through the office, delivery service, or in schools.  For over fifteen years FPA has worked in partnership with one of the largest secondary schools on the island. The FPA team visits the school on a monthly basis to provide guidance, counseling, and contraceptive care to students and to help ensure they stay in school to complete their education.  “One of my first experiences providing comprehensive sex education, with FPA was at the EPB School during my education as a social worker, many years later I still very much enjoy this”, says Richenella, FPA’s Finance and IEC support staff. FPA’s client is at the heart of its healthcare provision. FPA staff work with students to build trust and ensure they feel safe to talk openly. This helps to provide a sense of consistency for the student, as well as efficiency for the team being familiar with specific students and cases. They are better able to notice if something changes, and if a student needs a referral to a medical doctor or other organization for additional treatment. “The consultations are always fun; you get a change of scenery by stepping out of the office. Over the years you see so many faces and still, somehow you manage to remember most of them. After just a few visits you can start to build a profile of most students, you can start to tell who the class clown is, the Mister Popular, the shy one, the loud one, and the one who just wants to take his time to avoid going back to class”, Richenella laughs.  

Ghislaine Koeiman, Head of Information, Education, and Communication Support at FPA
story

| 01 April 2021

Delivering contraception directly to the client

Famia Planea Aruba’s (FPA) contraceptive delivery service is an added personal touch to its online store. The site is accessible to both members and non-members who can shop in privacy for their contraceptives and schedule a delivery. Orders are delivered by FPA staff with clients having the option to pay cash or debit upon delivery. To ensure a clients’ privacy and confidentiality orders are delivered discreetly. Ghislaine Koeiman, Head of Information, Education, and Communication Support at FPA has been managing the delivery service since it started in August 2018. “Since the start of the delivery service in 2018, our clients were enthusiastic however, the usage started slow. I believe this was due to the unfamiliarity, and people were still in the transition phase to online services. Moreover, clients believed that the delivery transportation would have been in a car completely covered in images of condoms, sperm cells and pills, which made them skeptical of using the service due to embarrassment”, says Ghislaine.  As with any new service comes challenges as well as opportunities. “Some of the challenges we face are the overload of deliveries on one day.” Even though Aruba is a small island and there are traffic jams only at specific hours in the day. “Sometimes I get stuck in traffic and try to rush myself to deliver the products in the time slot and at times I find myself in places that I barely recognize and discover new locations.” “The part I enjoy is the communication with the clients. Building a relationship with the client and vice versa provides a smoother transition of service but also provides the comfort and safe feeling for the client”. Ghislaine says the service often calls for more than the delivery of contraceptive orders, as clients may have questions or need support about their health. FPA’s bespoke healthcare delivery has seen successful growth since it started, with an increase of 115% during 2019 and 170% in 2020. “There has been an immense increase in the service in 2020 due to the pandemic. We already had the service in place, so we just had to fill in the gaps; for example, providing more hours and dates for clients to make use of the service.” <img src="https://tracker.metricool.com/c3po.jpg?hash=8b2b54e62fc802a9ae3ee7903a883415"/>

Ghislaine Koeiman, Head of Information, Education, and Communication Support at FPA
story

| 29 March 2024

Delivering contraception directly to the client

Famia Planea Aruba’s (FPA) contraceptive delivery service is an added personal touch to its online store. The site is accessible to both members and non-members who can shop in privacy for their contraceptives and schedule a delivery. Orders are delivered by FPA staff with clients having the option to pay cash or debit upon delivery. To ensure a clients’ privacy and confidentiality orders are delivered discreetly. Ghislaine Koeiman, Head of Information, Education, and Communication Support at FPA has been managing the delivery service since it started in August 2018. “Since the start of the delivery service in 2018, our clients were enthusiastic however, the usage started slow. I believe this was due to the unfamiliarity, and people were still in the transition phase to online services. Moreover, clients believed that the delivery transportation would have been in a car completely covered in images of condoms, sperm cells and pills, which made them skeptical of using the service due to embarrassment”, says Ghislaine.  As with any new service comes challenges as well as opportunities. “Some of the challenges we face are the overload of deliveries on one day.” Even though Aruba is a small island and there are traffic jams only at specific hours in the day. “Sometimes I get stuck in traffic and try to rush myself to deliver the products in the time slot and at times I find myself in places that I barely recognize and discover new locations.” “The part I enjoy is the communication with the clients. Building a relationship with the client and vice versa provides a smoother transition of service but also provides the comfort and safe feeling for the client”. Ghislaine says the service often calls for more than the delivery of contraceptive orders, as clients may have questions or need support about their health. FPA’s bespoke healthcare delivery has seen successful growth since it started, with an increase of 115% during 2019 and 170% in 2020. “There has been an immense increase in the service in 2020 due to the pandemic. We already had the service in place, so we just had to fill in the gaps; for example, providing more hours and dates for clients to make use of the service.” <img src="https://tracker.metricool.com/c3po.jpg?hash=8b2b54e62fc802a9ae3ee7903a883415"/>

lgbtq
story

| 04 May 2021

Navigating the LGBTQI Community to SRHR

In a country as diverse as Trinidad and Tobago, with 1.4 million varying hues and heritages, there still exists an arduous uphill climb for certain key populations. Conquering this apex of equality seems to be evasive as Government policy, general public perception and lack of education remain strong winds of opposition.  For persons like Brandy Rodriguez, Healthcare Navigator at the Family Planning Association of Trinidad and Tobago (FPATT), the struggle is both real and personal. In 1999, Brandy began her transition to womanhood and since 2006 has been working with FPATT in their HIV programme for the LGBTQI Community.   “Back in 2004, very little was said about HIV infection, transmission and prevention. In fact, if there was any information, it was misconstrued and meant to stigmatize the LGBTQI community. I was fairly new to the transgender community, so I made it a mission to research and find out the truths behind HIV and how I could protect myself. I then felt like I had to share what I found with others who were searching as well,” she said. That’s when FPATT asked Brandy to join their team in educating the LGBTQI community on the scope of healthcare that was available to them and guiding them to these resources within the public healthcare system. Since there was so much stigma surrounding the community, many of its members often stayed hidden under the shroud of comments that the gays and lesbians were the cause for the rise of HIV within Trinidad and Tobago. Even if a member of the LGBTQI community wanted to test for their HIV status, they would never dare to go into a public Health Centre, simply because of the fear of being judged by the healthcare professionals.  “It’s a simple case of this. When a transgender or non-binary person walks into a Health Centre or hospital, and the triage nurse has to fill in a form that asks for gender, the only two options there are Male and Female. So usually, the non-binary person knows that if they want to access that healthcare, free of judgement, they would have to dress as the gender that would bring the less undue attention. At the end of the day, the healthcare provider does not receive accurate information about the client, and the client doesn’t receive the scope of assessment and treatment that may be necessary. So part of what I do, is to simply accompany the client to the appointment so that it’s a less stressful experience and they don’t feel like they are alone,” says Brandy.    Advocating for greater support Apart from a great lack of healthcare professionals that are willing to treat with the LGBTQI community non-judgementally, the community also lacks social support. Most of the members of the community face barriers in housing and employment, which means that they are easily swayed into earning their livelihood as sex workers. Over 95% of skilled and employable persons within the LGBTQI community have turned to sex work because they are constantly denied employment within other industries.  “When I began my transition, I was fortunate to have the support of my family; they understood my heart and my need to be my authentic self. Not everyone has that support and so some either migrate or are left homeless because of the fact. Having to work within the sex industry means that they are now at greater risk for HIV or other STIs. My job as an Educator and Navigator is to promote condom use and ensure that they make use of FPATT’s regular HIV testing. If they do test positive, we then have that conversation about U=U, which means that if they (their HIV viral load) are undetectable, they will be untransferable, and then get them to that place of undetectability,” she states.  Brandy explains that being undetectable means that the client’s viral load is suppressed and they are living healthy lives. Since HIV infection has long been touted as a death sentence, the Educators work hard to ensure that 90% of persons who identify to be HIV Positive enrol in the FPATT Programme and 90% of those persons living with HIV (PLHIV) understand the importance of being adherent, through consistent treatment, healthy eating and rest. The Programme also offers sexual and reproductive health education on prevention against HIV re-infection and other STIs in the belief that SRHR interventions are preventative, cost effective, and would save lives and resources that would otherwise be spent on higher-level care. In addition, clients are navigated to medical practitioners and counsellors who can address issues of gender-based violence and mental health.  The Family Planning Association of Trinidad and Tobago has for many years advocated for sexual and reproductive rights of the LGBTQI community, ensuring that it remains a safe place for HIV testing and counselling. It holds a vision of a world where gender or sexuality are no longer a source of inequality or stigma, which is why every year, FPATT offers a total of 920 tests, 48 group sessions and additional one-on-one sessions accessible by all persons living within Trinidad and Tobago.  Following an assessment by PAHO, FPATT is poised to become a full service HIV treatment site, offering antiretroviral treatment (ART) as well as psychosocial services for persons affected by HIV. The Association’s goal is to stop discrimination and stigma against PLHIV and ultimately end the spread of HIV within Trinidad and Tobago by 2030.   

lgbtq
story

| 28 March 2024

Navigating the LGBTQI Community to SRHR

In a country as diverse as Trinidad and Tobago, with 1.4 million varying hues and heritages, there still exists an arduous uphill climb for certain key populations. Conquering this apex of equality seems to be evasive as Government policy, general public perception and lack of education remain strong winds of opposition.  For persons like Brandy Rodriguez, Healthcare Navigator at the Family Planning Association of Trinidad and Tobago (FPATT), the struggle is both real and personal. In 1999, Brandy began her transition to womanhood and since 2006 has been working with FPATT in their HIV programme for the LGBTQI Community.   “Back in 2004, very little was said about HIV infection, transmission and prevention. In fact, if there was any information, it was misconstrued and meant to stigmatize the LGBTQI community. I was fairly new to the transgender community, so I made it a mission to research and find out the truths behind HIV and how I could protect myself. I then felt like I had to share what I found with others who were searching as well,” she said. That’s when FPATT asked Brandy to join their team in educating the LGBTQI community on the scope of healthcare that was available to them and guiding them to these resources within the public healthcare system. Since there was so much stigma surrounding the community, many of its members often stayed hidden under the shroud of comments that the gays and lesbians were the cause for the rise of HIV within Trinidad and Tobago. Even if a member of the LGBTQI community wanted to test for their HIV status, they would never dare to go into a public Health Centre, simply because of the fear of being judged by the healthcare professionals.  “It’s a simple case of this. When a transgender or non-binary person walks into a Health Centre or hospital, and the triage nurse has to fill in a form that asks for gender, the only two options there are Male and Female. So usually, the non-binary person knows that if they want to access that healthcare, free of judgement, they would have to dress as the gender that would bring the less undue attention. At the end of the day, the healthcare provider does not receive accurate information about the client, and the client doesn’t receive the scope of assessment and treatment that may be necessary. So part of what I do, is to simply accompany the client to the appointment so that it’s a less stressful experience and they don’t feel like they are alone,” says Brandy.    Advocating for greater support Apart from a great lack of healthcare professionals that are willing to treat with the LGBTQI community non-judgementally, the community also lacks social support. Most of the members of the community face barriers in housing and employment, which means that they are easily swayed into earning their livelihood as sex workers. Over 95% of skilled and employable persons within the LGBTQI community have turned to sex work because they are constantly denied employment within other industries.  “When I began my transition, I was fortunate to have the support of my family; they understood my heart and my need to be my authentic self. Not everyone has that support and so some either migrate or are left homeless because of the fact. Having to work within the sex industry means that they are now at greater risk for HIV or other STIs. My job as an Educator and Navigator is to promote condom use and ensure that they make use of FPATT’s regular HIV testing. If they do test positive, we then have that conversation about U=U, which means that if they (their HIV viral load) are undetectable, they will be untransferable, and then get them to that place of undetectability,” she states.  Brandy explains that being undetectable means that the client’s viral load is suppressed and they are living healthy lives. Since HIV infection has long been touted as a death sentence, the Educators work hard to ensure that 90% of persons who identify to be HIV Positive enrol in the FPATT Programme and 90% of those persons living with HIV (PLHIV) understand the importance of being adherent, through consistent treatment, healthy eating and rest. The Programme also offers sexual and reproductive health education on prevention against HIV re-infection and other STIs in the belief that SRHR interventions are preventative, cost effective, and would save lives and resources that would otherwise be spent on higher-level care. In addition, clients are navigated to medical practitioners and counsellors who can address issues of gender-based violence and mental health.  The Family Planning Association of Trinidad and Tobago has for many years advocated for sexual and reproductive rights of the LGBTQI community, ensuring that it remains a safe place for HIV testing and counselling. It holds a vision of a world where gender or sexuality are no longer a source of inequality or stigma, which is why every year, FPATT offers a total of 920 tests, 48 group sessions and additional one-on-one sessions accessible by all persons living within Trinidad and Tobago.  Following an assessment by PAHO, FPATT is poised to become a full service HIV treatment site, offering antiretroviral treatment (ART) as well as psychosocial services for persons affected by HIV. The Association’s goal is to stop discrimination and stigma against PLHIV and ultimately end the spread of HIV within Trinidad and Tobago by 2030.   

 Jonathan Trinidad FPA IEC coordinator
story

| 03 May 2021

Providing tailored comprehensive sexuality education

A passionate advocate for comprehensive sexuality education, Jonathan is Famia Planea Aruba’s (FPA) IEC coordinator and manages the scheduling, guiding, and delivery of school projects. As part of this role, he works closely with students to help support and shape their projects.  “We are approached almost on a daily bases, throughout the school year, by students needing appointments for their school projects. These projects can vary from information about sexual and reproductive health and rights to the internal structure of FPA as an organization. That is why it is very important to first ask what kind of project the student has been tasked with. Questions such as school, grade level, course name, number of students, project goal and due date are among just a few of the primary questions that must be asked when scheduling a school project”, Jonathan says. FPA has developed information packages that are topic-ready for most of the general projects. These are used as an information base, while the presentation and appointment are tailored to each individual student.  “We will sometimes receive multiple students or groups for the same project, this is bound to happen when an entire class receives the same project, it is then up to me to make each appointment different while providing the same information. Digital presentation is usually my tool of choice. This provides me the possibility to incorporate all the necessary information, but I can always make a few tweaks to personalize each presentation”, says Jonathan.  During project weeks at most of the schools, the FPA office can be busy with visiting students.  “After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic most of the school project appointments became digital meetings. Removing the human contact can sometime provide new challenges for both the students and us. This demands that the student be more prepared than before with sharper questions, since the traditional conversation that usually leads to more questions is different when using digital methods, but we will do our best to help the student in every way possible”, Jonathan mentions.  

 Jonathan Trinidad FPA IEC coordinator
story

| 29 March 2024

Providing tailored comprehensive sexuality education

A passionate advocate for comprehensive sexuality education, Jonathan is Famia Planea Aruba’s (FPA) IEC coordinator and manages the scheduling, guiding, and delivery of school projects. As part of this role, he works closely with students to help support and shape their projects.  “We are approached almost on a daily bases, throughout the school year, by students needing appointments for their school projects. These projects can vary from information about sexual and reproductive health and rights to the internal structure of FPA as an organization. That is why it is very important to first ask what kind of project the student has been tasked with. Questions such as school, grade level, course name, number of students, project goal and due date are among just a few of the primary questions that must be asked when scheduling a school project”, Jonathan says. FPA has developed information packages that are topic-ready for most of the general projects. These are used as an information base, while the presentation and appointment are tailored to each individual student.  “We will sometimes receive multiple students or groups for the same project, this is bound to happen when an entire class receives the same project, it is then up to me to make each appointment different while providing the same information. Digital presentation is usually my tool of choice. This provides me the possibility to incorporate all the necessary information, but I can always make a few tweaks to personalize each presentation”, says Jonathan.  During project weeks at most of the schools, the FPA office can be busy with visiting students.  “After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic most of the school project appointments became digital meetings. Removing the human contact can sometime provide new challenges for both the students and us. This demands that the student be more prepared than before with sharper questions, since the traditional conversation that usually leads to more questions is different when using digital methods, but we will do our best to help the student in every way possible”, Jonathan mentions.  

FPA Client Christopher Robles Age: 35 Occupation: Account Manager Marketing Agency
story

| 21 April 2021

Reaching 7,000 clients

Famia Planea Aruba (FPA) is proud to be able to serve over 7,000 clients and celebrated its 50th anniversary in November 2020. FPA strives to live up to the motto, ‘Improving your quality of life’, by ensuring its healthcare provision is accessible to everyone.  One regular client is Christopher, an account manager at a local marketing agency. “I am truly a big fan of FPA, they are really good at being inclusive to men as well as women. The entire staff is very client orientated, I have never felt judged or discriminated against while using any of their services, or while at their office. They are always ready to answer any questions I may have or ease any concern.” FPA has built a strong bond of trust and communication with its clients by sharing regular updates on their work and projects.  “I try as much as possible to stay up-to-date with FPA, I have followed all of their projects so far and have really enjoyed them. I can still remember when I was younger and had my first girlfriend, FPA was my go-to for information, guidance, tips and tricks. They are very good at adapting to each situation, whether it is personal, local or even global”.  FPA places great emphasis on listening to the community it supports to better understand their needs. This enables the team to provide their clients with carefully researched and targeted healthcare.  “Over the years, FPA has gone above and beyond to provide both myself and my partner with information and contraceptives. Over the last few years, in addition to visiting their office, I can follow-up my consultation by asking them additional questions through their social media counseling or even the delivery service”, says Christopher.  

FPA Client Christopher Robles Age: 35 Occupation: Account Manager Marketing Agency
story

| 29 March 2024

Reaching 7,000 clients

Famia Planea Aruba (FPA) is proud to be able to serve over 7,000 clients and celebrated its 50th anniversary in November 2020. FPA strives to live up to the motto, ‘Improving your quality of life’, by ensuring its healthcare provision is accessible to everyone.  One regular client is Christopher, an account manager at a local marketing agency. “I am truly a big fan of FPA, they are really good at being inclusive to men as well as women. The entire staff is very client orientated, I have never felt judged or discriminated against while using any of their services, or while at their office. They are always ready to answer any questions I may have or ease any concern.” FPA has built a strong bond of trust and communication with its clients by sharing regular updates on their work and projects.  “I try as much as possible to stay up-to-date with FPA, I have followed all of their projects so far and have really enjoyed them. I can still remember when I was younger and had my first girlfriend, FPA was my go-to for information, guidance, tips and tricks. They are very good at adapting to each situation, whether it is personal, local or even global”.  FPA places great emphasis on listening to the community it supports to better understand their needs. This enables the team to provide their clients with carefully researched and targeted healthcare.  “Over the years, FPA has gone above and beyond to provide both myself and my partner with information and contraceptives. Over the last few years, in addition to visiting their office, I can follow-up my consultation by asking them additional questions through their social media counseling or even the delivery service”, says Christopher.  

 Lisen Lalwani Information, Education, and Communication Support Staff at FPA.
story

| 20 April 2021

Information is the key to health and wellbeing

During the 1970’s Aruba’s population was rapidly growing; yet one-third of all pregnancies were unplanned. With the arrival of Famia Planea Aruba (FPA), local communities were able to access health and contraceptive care. For more than 50 years FPA has evolved and adapted its healthcare provision to meet the needs of the growing and changing community. Access to contraception continues to be FPA’s most in demand healthcare provision.  “As a recently graduated Social Worker, I feel it is very important to provide both, men and women, with information and products regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights. We hear far too often that preventing an unwanted pregnancy should be the woman’s responsibility, especially from our male counterparts”, says Lisen, one of the Information, Education, and Communication Support Staff at FPA. During a one-on-one consultation at the FPA office, everyone is provided with information individual to their own needs as well as that of their partner. This information is provided by a trained IEC member of the team.  “I believe in the values of FPA, and that information is the key to health and a prosperous future. When counseling an individual, I try to take time to get to know the person the best I can in what is usually a short period. By building a trust relationship with each client they are more inclined to open up and ask the questions they truly need help with. What for one person might seem a small issue might be something huge for another one when as a counselor you are able to assess each individual, you can achieve so much”, Lisen says. What sets FPA apart from a pharmacy is the integrated care provision. This includes guidance provided with the contraceptives, the individually tailored care for each client, and working in close partnership with family practitioners, midwives and the local general health insurance provider. “There are some clients that you see so often that they almost become like family in a way, as soon as you see them you can already anticipate their needs. I am just 25 years old which means that some of the clients are my age, some older, some younger. Seeing someone you helped out in public and having them greet you or tell you that you did a great job helping them is such a wonderful feeling, I don’t know if I will ever get used to it”, Lisen says.

 Lisen Lalwani Information, Education, and Communication Support Staff at FPA.
story

| 28 March 2024

Information is the key to health and wellbeing

During the 1970’s Aruba’s population was rapidly growing; yet one-third of all pregnancies were unplanned. With the arrival of Famia Planea Aruba (FPA), local communities were able to access health and contraceptive care. For more than 50 years FPA has evolved and adapted its healthcare provision to meet the needs of the growing and changing community. Access to contraception continues to be FPA’s most in demand healthcare provision.  “As a recently graduated Social Worker, I feel it is very important to provide both, men and women, with information and products regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights. We hear far too often that preventing an unwanted pregnancy should be the woman’s responsibility, especially from our male counterparts”, says Lisen, one of the Information, Education, and Communication Support Staff at FPA. During a one-on-one consultation at the FPA office, everyone is provided with information individual to their own needs as well as that of their partner. This information is provided by a trained IEC member of the team.  “I believe in the values of FPA, and that information is the key to health and a prosperous future. When counseling an individual, I try to take time to get to know the person the best I can in what is usually a short period. By building a trust relationship with each client they are more inclined to open up and ask the questions they truly need help with. What for one person might seem a small issue might be something huge for another one when as a counselor you are able to assess each individual, you can achieve so much”, Lisen says. What sets FPA apart from a pharmacy is the integrated care provision. This includes guidance provided with the contraceptives, the individually tailored care for each client, and working in close partnership with family practitioners, midwives and the local general health insurance provider. “There are some clients that you see so often that they almost become like family in a way, as soon as you see them you can already anticipate their needs. I am just 25 years old which means that some of the clients are my age, some older, some younger. Seeing someone you helped out in public and having them greet you or tell you that you did a great job helping them is such a wonderful feeling, I don’t know if I will ever get used to it”, Lisen says.

Richenella Dirks started at FPA as an intern over ten years ago
story

| 19 April 2021

Providing information and contraceptive care to young people

Accessibility to information and contraceptives has always been a priority for Famia Planea Aruba (FPA), whether through the office, delivery service, or in schools.  For over fifteen years FPA has worked in partnership with one of the largest secondary schools on the island. The FPA team visits the school on a monthly basis to provide guidance, counseling, and contraceptive care to students and to help ensure they stay in school to complete their education.  “One of my first experiences providing comprehensive sex education, with FPA was at the EPB School during my education as a social worker, many years later I still very much enjoy this”, says Richenella, FPA’s Finance and IEC support staff. FPA’s client is at the heart of its healthcare provision. FPA staff work with students to build trust and ensure they feel safe to talk openly. This helps to provide a sense of consistency for the student, as well as efficiency for the team being familiar with specific students and cases. They are better able to notice if something changes, and if a student needs a referral to a medical doctor or other organization for additional treatment. “The consultations are always fun; you get a change of scenery by stepping out of the office. Over the years you see so many faces and still, somehow you manage to remember most of them. After just a few visits you can start to build a profile of most students, you can start to tell who the class clown is, the Mister Popular, the shy one, the loud one, and the one who just wants to take his time to avoid going back to class”, Richenella laughs.  

Richenella Dirks started at FPA as an intern over ten years ago
story

| 29 March 2024

Providing information and contraceptive care to young people

Accessibility to information and contraceptives has always been a priority for Famia Planea Aruba (FPA), whether through the office, delivery service, or in schools.  For over fifteen years FPA has worked in partnership with one of the largest secondary schools on the island. The FPA team visits the school on a monthly basis to provide guidance, counseling, and contraceptive care to students and to help ensure they stay in school to complete their education.  “One of my first experiences providing comprehensive sex education, with FPA was at the EPB School during my education as a social worker, many years later I still very much enjoy this”, says Richenella, FPA’s Finance and IEC support staff. FPA’s client is at the heart of its healthcare provision. FPA staff work with students to build trust and ensure they feel safe to talk openly. This helps to provide a sense of consistency for the student, as well as efficiency for the team being familiar with specific students and cases. They are better able to notice if something changes, and if a student needs a referral to a medical doctor or other organization for additional treatment. “The consultations are always fun; you get a change of scenery by stepping out of the office. Over the years you see so many faces and still, somehow you manage to remember most of them. After just a few visits you can start to build a profile of most students, you can start to tell who the class clown is, the Mister Popular, the shy one, the loud one, and the one who just wants to take his time to avoid going back to class”, Richenella laughs.  

Ghislaine Koeiman, Head of Information, Education, and Communication Support at FPA
story

| 01 April 2021

Delivering contraception directly to the client

Famia Planea Aruba’s (FPA) contraceptive delivery service is an added personal touch to its online store. The site is accessible to both members and non-members who can shop in privacy for their contraceptives and schedule a delivery. Orders are delivered by FPA staff with clients having the option to pay cash or debit upon delivery. To ensure a clients’ privacy and confidentiality orders are delivered discreetly. Ghislaine Koeiman, Head of Information, Education, and Communication Support at FPA has been managing the delivery service since it started in August 2018. “Since the start of the delivery service in 2018, our clients were enthusiastic however, the usage started slow. I believe this was due to the unfamiliarity, and people were still in the transition phase to online services. Moreover, clients believed that the delivery transportation would have been in a car completely covered in images of condoms, sperm cells and pills, which made them skeptical of using the service due to embarrassment”, says Ghislaine.  As with any new service comes challenges as well as opportunities. “Some of the challenges we face are the overload of deliveries on one day.” Even though Aruba is a small island and there are traffic jams only at specific hours in the day. “Sometimes I get stuck in traffic and try to rush myself to deliver the products in the time slot and at times I find myself in places that I barely recognize and discover new locations.” “The part I enjoy is the communication with the clients. Building a relationship with the client and vice versa provides a smoother transition of service but also provides the comfort and safe feeling for the client”. Ghislaine says the service often calls for more than the delivery of contraceptive orders, as clients may have questions or need support about their health. FPA’s bespoke healthcare delivery has seen successful growth since it started, with an increase of 115% during 2019 and 170% in 2020. “There has been an immense increase in the service in 2020 due to the pandemic. We already had the service in place, so we just had to fill in the gaps; for example, providing more hours and dates for clients to make use of the service.” <img src="https://tracker.metricool.com/c3po.jpg?hash=8b2b54e62fc802a9ae3ee7903a883415"/>

Ghislaine Koeiman, Head of Information, Education, and Communication Support at FPA
story

| 29 March 2024

Delivering contraception directly to the client

Famia Planea Aruba’s (FPA) contraceptive delivery service is an added personal touch to its online store. The site is accessible to both members and non-members who can shop in privacy for their contraceptives and schedule a delivery. Orders are delivered by FPA staff with clients having the option to pay cash or debit upon delivery. To ensure a clients’ privacy and confidentiality orders are delivered discreetly. Ghislaine Koeiman, Head of Information, Education, and Communication Support at FPA has been managing the delivery service since it started in August 2018. “Since the start of the delivery service in 2018, our clients were enthusiastic however, the usage started slow. I believe this was due to the unfamiliarity, and people were still in the transition phase to online services. Moreover, clients believed that the delivery transportation would have been in a car completely covered in images of condoms, sperm cells and pills, which made them skeptical of using the service due to embarrassment”, says Ghislaine.  As with any new service comes challenges as well as opportunities. “Some of the challenges we face are the overload of deliveries on one day.” Even though Aruba is a small island and there are traffic jams only at specific hours in the day. “Sometimes I get stuck in traffic and try to rush myself to deliver the products in the time slot and at times I find myself in places that I barely recognize and discover new locations.” “The part I enjoy is the communication with the clients. Building a relationship with the client and vice versa provides a smoother transition of service but also provides the comfort and safe feeling for the client”. Ghislaine says the service often calls for more than the delivery of contraceptive orders, as clients may have questions or need support about their health. FPA’s bespoke healthcare delivery has seen successful growth since it started, with an increase of 115% during 2019 and 170% in 2020. “There has been an immense increase in the service in 2020 due to the pandemic. We already had the service in place, so we just had to fill in the gaps; for example, providing more hours and dates for clients to make use of the service.” <img src="https://tracker.metricool.com/c3po.jpg?hash=8b2b54e62fc802a9ae3ee7903a883415"/>