The Liwale commemoration
EpiC partnered with Liwale District Council to mark International Women's Day 2024 with a public event that combined advocacy, entertainment, and the full EpiC women's-health service package. Five hundred and twenty women attended across the day.
Service stations were laid out at the venue: HIV testing, family planning counselling, cervical cancer screening referral, GBV first-line response, and legal aid information.
What the day delivered
One hundred and forty HIV tests were delivered on-site; sixty-two women initiated a modern family planning method of their choice; eighteen GBV cases were disclosed and referred into the council Gender Desk pathway.
Twelve women were referred for cervical cancer screening at the next district outreach cycle, with peer follow-up assigned to confirm uptake.
Why we keep doing this
Commemorations risk becoming photo opportunities. We keep doing them because — designed correctly — they reach women who would not enter a clinic on a regular Tuesday, and they leave behind a documented service contact that begins a relationship.
Linking International Women's Day events to real service delivery turns advocacy into measurable health gains.