Ipas > At Asia workshop, participants learn by doing

At Asia workshop, participants learn by doing

May 25, 2006

In a recent training in Thailand, participants practice clinical skills.

Ancient philosopher Lao Tsuonce said, “With the best leaders, when the work is done, the task accomplished, the people will say, ‘We have done this ourselves.’”

That’s what happened during a recent Ipas training in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Twenty-three people from five Asian countries (Cambodia, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Vietnam) met the first week of May to share experiences and ideas for training in comprehensive abortion care (including postabortion care). The group included new and more experienced trainers who came from a variety of professional settings: medical schools, national hospitals, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health and rural clinics.

Ipas senior training and services advisors from India, the United States and Vietnam led the workshop to enhance participants’ capacity to lead woman-centered abortion care training within their countries.

The workshop focused on improving the trainers’ skills in facilitating events based on the Ipas Woman-Centered Abortion Care curricula and using the Ipas MVA Plus® aspirator. The lead trainers helped participants strategize about how to make their trainings more effective.

Through icebreakers, engaging games and a sightseeing trip, the lead trainers worked to create a collaborative spirit among the participants. Attendees brought posters and publications from their respective countries. Many had never traveled to other Asian countries and had limited information on other Ipas programs. One participant commented, “One learns activities that are doable with limited resources from friends closer to one’s society and culture.”

Divided into groups of two or three, the participants led activities from the Ipas curricula — with their colleagues as the audience. Topics included making links with communities; providing holistic counseling and contraceptive services; carrying out proper infection prevention techniques; providing MVA and medication abortion procedures; identifying complications; and monitoring services.

Through this process, participants were able to practice their facilitation skills while getting immediate feedback from both the lead trainers and their peers.

In addition to helping the trainers become better facilitators, the workshop leaders presented information about advances or changes in the reproductive-health field. The facilitators introduced Ipas’s Global Trainer’s Network (a way that trainers can continue learning), and the Ipas Global Exchange Monitoring System (a database used for tracking and monitoring purposes). A guest presenter spoke about the female condom, and new contraceptives were discussed.

At the end of the workshop, participants worked in country teams to create an action plan for their future training activities. Finally, each individual completed a pledge to advance woman-centered abortion care upon returning to his or her country. Course certificates were bestowed by one participant to another, highlighting the emphasis on learning from each other.

For more information, contact:
Kirsten Sherk
Senior Associate, Media Relations
e-mail: sherkk@ipas.org
phone: 919.960.5612
fax: 919.929.0258