Chase Africa, a Somerset-based charity, is celebrating 25 years of promoting healthcare for women across Africa. Founded in 2000 by Robin Witt, the charity operates in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, focusing on providing birth control and healthcare services to women in rural communities. The organization initially combined environmental initiatives with healthcare, engaging in community tree-planting projects to address deforestation and its impact on local livelihoods.
Witt’s experiences in Kenya highlighted the interconnectedness of environmental health and human well-being, revealing how limited access to family planning contributed to poverty and environmental degradation. Observing that local communities relied heavily on forests for cooking fuel, he recognized that supporting reproductive health was crucial to both human and environmental sustainability.
Over time, Chase Africa shifted its focus toward educating men and women about birth control and broader healthcare issues. Early challenges included misconceptions and cultural resistance, particularly among men. The charity’s approach emphasizes empowering women to make informed choices about family size, helping them manage reproductive health and plan pregnancies.
According to Harriet Gordon-Brown, CEO of Chase Africa, there has been notable progress in Kenya, where women increasingly understand the benefits of spacing pregnancies. The charity emphasizes that cultural norms can only be changed through ongoing discussion and community engagement, underscoring the importance of education and dialogue in fostering long-term change.
Despite its successes and nimble structure, Chase Africa faces funding challenges due to cuts in international aid. Gordon-Brown noted that limited funding impacts the charity’s ability to sustain and expand its programs, highlighting the ongoing need for financial support to continue empowering women and promoting healthcare across the region.
