{"id":1379,"date":"2022-01-20T10:03:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-20T15:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pathfinder.local\/?post_type=essay&p=1379"},"modified":"2023-03-13T13:51:29","modified_gmt":"2023-03-13T17:51:29","slug":"interactive-games-to-further-gender-equality-and-family-health-in-egypt","status":"publish","type":"essay","link":"https:\/\/www.pathfinder.org\/impact-stories\/interactive-games-to-further-gender-equality-and-family-health-in-egypt\/","title":{"rendered":"Interactive Games to Further Gender Equality and Family Health in Egypt"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Gender equality starts at home with the family, said Hamdia Yassin Ahmed, who works with Pathfinder\u2019s Ma\u2019an project in Egypt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hamida grew up in the village of Salamon, located in Upper Egypt\u2019s Sohag governorate. In her village, the stigma of using contraception and accessing reproductive health services impedes women\u2019s ability to make informed decisions about their health and well-being, harming the health of their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pathfinder\u2019s Ma\u2019an project works in four districts of Egypt\u2019s Sohag governorate to provide quality family planning and maternal health services to first-time parents and young married women. Photo: Pathfinder Egypt<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sohag governorate has one of the highest fertility rates in Egypt, where women have an average of more than four children (EDHS 2014-2015). In Egypt, only 8% of women and 10% of men believe it is appropriate for a couple to use family planning before having their first child (DHS 2015).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing up in this environment made her passionate about empowering women and families. Hamida works with Pathfinder to further gender equality by increasing access to quality sexual health and reproductive services and giving women information about their health and that of their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Empowering Women Means Strengthening Families<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Hamida Yassin Ahmed, facilitator for the Ma\u2019an project, leads a training on family planning service provision and peer mentoring. Photo: Pathfinder Egypt<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hamida\u2019s strategy has been simple: gain valuable social and economic skills and share them with others. In 2013, she first engaged with Pathfinder through the USAID-funded\u00a0Fostering Opportunities in Rural Southern Areas (FORSA)\u00a0project, learning about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n