Albert Nyathi appointed National Family Planning Male Motivator
Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) appointed Mr. Albert Nyathi as the National Family Planning Male Motivator commencing in November 2021 for a two year renewable contract. The organization aims to utilize his popularity to promote and advance the agenda of male involvement in family planning and adolescent sexual reproductive health among communities.
By Donald Dube
Mr. Albert Nyathi was born in Gwanda district in Matabeleland South Province in Zimbabwe. He is a poet who is particularly famous for the poem and song Senzeni na? He is married with three children. Nyathi started praise poetry as a very young boy where he used to sing praise poetry while herding cattle in Gwanda. Over the years, he has expanded his audience to include other African countries and beyond. He is a multi-skilled artist, being a poet, musician, multi-lingual, media associate and arts industry personality. He has been involved in the ZIMPHIA campaign, World Health Organization health activities as well as the Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision programmes amongst others.
A National Family Planning Male Motivator aims to encourage male involvement in health-related issues. His personality will assist to mobilize support, generate awareness and create demand for health services especially amongst adolescent boys, young men and adult males. Engaging boys and men can directly address their concerns about contraception that hinder their own use and that of their partner. Engaging men can create more gender equitable attitudes that support family planning use, as inequitable gender norms can hamper family planning programming.
Meanwhile, men are not usually targeted for family planning services and information, yet they are often the decision-makers. Male involvement helps not only in accepting a contraceptive but also in its effective use and continuation. Male involvement in the context of maternal and child health, is the practice wherein fathers and other men in the community facilitate access to better healthcare facilities and services for women and girls.