This program supported activities which provide Latin and Caribbean women, their families, and their communities access to information, services, and technical assistance in maternal and child health care, nutrition, sex education and family planning.

Through Partners, U.S. professionals in health, social service and education traveled as volunteers to Latin America and the Caribbean to provide technical assistance to family planning projects. In addition, through the Partners network, Latin professionals traveled to the U.S. for special training. The program also supported community-based activities through small grants. These grants were competitively awarded to projects that demonstrate support by the host country, matching community resources, and a long-term commitment on the part of the target community.

The involvement of Latin and Caribbean Partner chapters -- comprised of Latin and Caribbean health personnel, social workers and teachers, among others -- ensured an approach that is culturally sensitive and relevant to the needs of the target communities. In addition, the diverse organizations represented among the Latin and Caribbean chapters' membership facilitated the incorporation of family planning into other project areas.

Depending on the needs of the countries and the interests and professional affiliations of the partnerships, projects helped:

• Enhance the quality of local family planning services by sharing and adapting innovative educational techniques and materials;

• Improve outreach efforts by training local personnel in marketing techniques to reach men, young people, ethnic groups and other hard-to-reach audiences;

• Build local capacity in advocacy and coalition building, to develop strategic alliances in the community with government, private sector and other NGOs, guaranteeing sustainability of essential services.