IPPFAR Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Nthabiseng Chetane from Lesotho

IPPFAR Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Nthabiseng Chetane from Lesotho

31-year-old Nthabiseng Chetane’s choice of health facility whenever she needs respective services is the Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association (LPPA) Thakaneng clinic, located in the capital city of Maseru. Nthabiseng is also a volunteer peer educator who has been involved in LPPA’s project activities since 2011. We spoke to her about her experiences with LPPA.

My Preference for LPPA’s Health Services

“I like the services offered at LPPA’s Thakaneng clinic for several reasons. At the top of my list is because I find the nurses to be very friendly and helpful. I also don’t have to wait for long in the queue as the nurses are always attending to patients promptly and for me, this is very important.

Something else that I like about this clinic is that I can access many health services at one go when I’m in the consultation room with the nurse, meaning that I don’t have to keep moving from one room to another. In addition, the consultation rooms are clean, spacious and private, which makes me feel comfortable.

Nthabiseng in one of the consultation rooms with a nurse.
Nthabiseng in one of the consultation rooms with a nurse.

At this clinic, you can access various information and services about your reproductive health. These include: family planning methods, STI treatment and management services, HIV counseling and testing, Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART), cervical cancer screening, antenatal and postnatal care services, and maternal health services among others. You can also get both male and female condoms for free. Because I like the services offered at LPPA’s Thakaneng clinic, I have been able to refer over 200 women for services so that they too can benefit.

Lesotho-planned-parenthood-association
Nthabiseng at one of the clinic’s condom dispensers. She often picks some for distribution during her peer education activities in the community. LPPA ensures that condoms are always available to anyone who needs them.

My involvement with some of LPPA’s health programs led me to becoming a volunteer peer educator with the organization. I am mainly involved in initiatives that promote health information among women, and more so those engaged in high-risk sexual behaviour.

Many times, you will find me in the community talking to women about their sexual health, encouraging them to practice safe sex, seek timely treatment for ailments, and take up HIV and AIDS counseling, testing and treatment services (including Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) -all of which are available from LPPA clinics, where I refer them.

LPPA

As a peer educator, I have undergone various trainings by LPPA and because of this, my knowledge and skills on various issues regarding sexual reproductive health and rights have been increased. Today, I feel confident and empowered as I promote health education in the community. I am proud to be an LPPA volunteer.”

LPPA has 10 Service Delivery Points (SDP) in eight of the 10 districts of Lesotho, namely: Botha-Bothe, Leribe, Berea, Maseru, Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek, Quthing and Qacha’s Nek.The contribution of volunteer peer educators such as Nthabiseng goes a long way in helping LPPA meet its objectives and deliver on its mandate; that of providing quality sexual and reproductive health information and services to men, women, youth and marginalized populations. In 2017, LPPA offered over 283,000 sexual reproductive health services through its different clinics.

Read more about Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association (LPPA).

Nthabiseng spoke to Maryanne Waweru-Wanyama, Governance and Compliance Officer, IPPF Africa Region.

https://ippfar.org/blogs/ippfar-volunteer-spotlight-meet-nthabiseng-chetane-lesotho

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