In the Beginning - 2001...

Planned Parenthood of Stark County (PPSC) first received a national grant to become a Global Partner in 2001. With guidance from community leaders, PPSC selected the rural Indian community of Jamshedpur as an exchange partner. Shortly thereafter, Planned Parenthood of Greater Cleveland (PPGC) joined the partnership with PPSC and the family planning program in Jamshedpur, India to improve access to health services and information in the rural community.

Our global partnership began with visits by delegations from each organization and it continues to progress through similar exchanges. Bonnie Bolitho, former Executive Director of PPSC and current VP of Relationship Management and Supporter Development for PPNEO, and Betsey Kaufman, former Executive Director of PPGC, made a preliminary visit to Jamshedpur in January 2002 with a team of local leaders. The delegation met with the SAHAS project director who helped develop the partnership. Later in 2002, a delegation from Jamshedpur visited the Canton and Cleveland areas to continue developing the partnership and plan for achieving mutual goal.

During the first visit to Jamshedpur, it was clear that our communities' steel background would enable us to share an immediate common bond. Jamshedpur is the home of Tata Iron and Steel Company and the Timken Company also has an international bearing plant located there. These world leaders have a good working relationship and have helped our family planning partnership grow and thrive. The Tata Steel Family Foundation and the SAHAS project for adolescents provide primary funding to Jamshedpur's family planning program and maternal and child health clincs. "The diverse cultural experiences share help us see how much our two countries have in common," said Bonnie Bolitho. "We agree that for family planning to work, it must be available to everyone - everywhere!"

Much work remains to be done to refine service delivery in the Jamshedpur community, but PPSC and PPGC continue to be impressed with the dedication and enthusiasm of their Indian counterparts, and with the community's interest in becoming strong and sustainable.

The Next Phase - 2003...

After the first phase was complete, the Planned Parenthood Global Partners' Grant Selection Committee chose PPSC and PPGC to extend the existing partnership with the Tata Steel Family Initiative in Jamshedpur. Being selected to continue this Global Partnership was a great honor. Together, Planned Parenthood and the community of Jamshedpur are working to improve the lives of women at home and around the world.

PPSC and PPGC wanted to share the following excerpt from the grant award letter we received from the Interim Director of Planned Parenthood Global Partners:

"Congratulations on the extension of your Global Partnership!  As you know, partnerships like yours mutually benefit reproductive and sexual health services in local communities around the world.  They also work to create a political and social climate in the U.S. which recognizes that all individuals and couples have the right to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children and to have the information, education and means to do so.  Clearly, you understand the vast majority of Americans support family planning.

Through partnerships such as yours, we can turn this support into action in the U.S. and around the world.  By doing so, we will help ensure that U.S. global reproductive health programs and policies are driven by individual needs and common sense.

We recognize that you have developed a strong and substantive relationship with your global partner.  This extended partnership represents an evolution in that relationship, and a sharpened focus on the potential to inform and support public policy in the U.S. on behalf of global reproductive health and rights.

We are thrilled to work with you in implementing this unique Planned Parenthood program to build global partners in local communities.  Congratulations!"

During 2003, representatives from both Planned Parenthood affiliates worked abroad to bring other Indian organizations into the partnership. The worldwide challenges to improving the status of women and girls through educational opportunities and improved maternal and child health is an undertaking of extraordinary importance to the future of the planet and to our own way of life.

Rights Have No Borders - 2004...

Once again, Planned Parenthood Global Partners selected Planned Parenthood of Stark County (PPSC) to continue our partnership in India.  As part of our Global Partnership, a leadership team will spend much of the early part of 2005 in Jamshedpur, India visiting with representatives of the Tata Steel Family Initiatives Foundation (TSFIF) and the Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) to explore opportunities to expand the partnership and bring more organizations, such as FPAI, into the fold.

Recently, Mr. A.N. Singh, Director of Corporate Services for the Tata Steel Family Company expressed the following words of appreciation for the work being done by PPSC, PPGC, and the rest of our Global Partners:

"Our association with PPFA and your two affiliates has been of tremendous value to Tata Steel Family Initiatives Foundation.  Due to the technical exchange visits,s we have been able to make both qualitative and quantitative changes in our program interventions.  Our foray into Adolescent Reproductive Health is an invaluable contribution facilitated by both of you.  I am confident that the next phase of our partnership will be as rewarding and mutually beneficial as past endeavors.  It is always a pleasure to have you at Jamshedpur.  I hope this next phase of the partnership can keep the exchange of visits and ideas ongoing."

We are truly grateful for the opportunity to work with such an outstanding group of people and partners and look forward to continuing our partnership for the foreseeable future.

Return to India - 2005...

Although she recently returned from her third trip to Jamshedpur, India in as many years, Planned Parenthood of Stark County Executive Director Bonnie Bolitho never tires of her travels to that part of the world.

"It's an incredible opportunity to meet and work with people who work so hard to provide basic health care to women and families in need," said Bonnie.  "They are very grateful for our help anad their determination is inspiring.  Every time I visit India, I cannot help but feel energized.

As part of the Global Partnership program, Bonnie Bolitho and Betsey Kaufman, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Cleveland, spent much of February in Jamshedpur visiting with representatives of the Tata Steel Family Initiatives Foundation (TSFIF) and the Family Planning Association of India.  One highlight of this trip was a visit to the Surya Clinic, TSFIF's newest partner.  Co-sponsored by DKT International, the Surya Clinic is a freestanding family planning health center with franchise operations throughout Asia.  It offers reproductive health care and family planning services on a sliding fee scale similar to Planned Parenthood's model.  The sliding fee scale was initially met with resistance by TSFIF, which has always provided free services, but with India's booming economy, the clinic is flourishing!

Even though they traveled halfway around the world, the trip to India had a local connection for both Bonnie and Betsey.  The Timken Foundation of Canton and Timken India joined together to purchase a four wheel drive vehicle to support medical outreach for the Family Planning Association of India's East Singhbhum rural village project. This vehicle will make providing family planning services in rural areas significantly easier by allowing workers to navigate the often nearly impassible roads, bringing needed health care to families who would otherwise be beyond the reach of traditional health centers.  Planned Parenthood Global Partners will assist with this project by funding  Project Director. 

PPSC and PPGC will host a return delegation from India later in the year.

A Time of Transition - 2006/2007...

In 2006, five Northeast Ohio Planned Parenthood affiliates began serious discussions about consolidating operations in order to better serve our clients and supporters with current resources. During this time of transition, our work with Jamshedpur, India, continued with exchange visits, improvements in service delivery, expansion of programs to outlying areas, and the welcoming of new partners.

In early 2007, Bonnie Bolitho and Betsey Kaufman traveled to India for an exchanbge visit, which included meeting the new Project Director that Planned Parenthood helped fund. While in India, Bonnie and Betsey had an opportunity to get a first-hand look at the progress made since their last visit. They were pleased to learn about the successes in bringing much need health services to very remote areas using the new four wheel drive vehicle sponsored by the Timken Foundation and Timken India, and the expansion of services within the villages.

In mid 2007, Planned Parenthood of Northeast Ohio representatives in Greater Cleveland and Canton hosted Santos Das, the Project Director for Jamshedpur's family planning program. Santos visited Northeast Ohio to tour Planned Parenthood health centers, make a comprehensive and impressive report program's progress under his leadership, and meet with Planned Parenthood staff, local leaders and decision-makers. Everyone was eager to talk with Santos about Jamshedpur, his role and his expectations for the future and look forward to his eventual return to the area.

Although PPSC and PPGC have consolidated with three other affiliates to become Planned Parenthood of Northeast Ohio (PPNEO), it doesn't mean our work with Jamshedpur, India has concluded. As PPNEO, we will continue to support the efforts of Jamshedpur's family planning program through our Global Partnership and the newly established Bonnie Bolitho Fund for International Family Planning.

Follow the link or the navigation at the left side of this page for more information about the Bonnie Bolitho Fund for International Family Planning, or contact Bonnie in our Cleveland External Affairs Office at (216) 961-8804.