Badeea lives in a rural village in Pakistan near the Indus River. Her area lacks basic infrastructure, and the poor condition of the roads means it takes half an hour to cover just 6km.
This leads to huge risks for women. During rainy season, one of Badeea’s relatives was delivering her baby, but she could not make it to the medical facility in time and died on the way there.
For Badeea, this was a turning point. She wanted to help her community receive timely healthcare services. She completed a community midwives program and opened a clinic in her village. For six years, she cared for relatives, neighbours and community members.
One day, when she was visiting Hala, she heard about Marie Stopes Society – Pakistan (MSS) from a doctor. The doctor told her about the Suraj Social Franchise brand of MSS, which is supported by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Badeea’s clinic, Mehek Clinic, became a Suraj Social Franchise facility, providing family planning services and awareness to the local community.
MSS provided Badeea training, equipment, and a Field Health Educator who visits nearby areas door-to-door to encourage women to visit the clinic and learn more about family planning.
Badeea’s clinic has grown. A large number of clients now visit her clinic, from her own community as well as neighbouring villages and towns.