Population Services International

Population Services International (PSI):PSI is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. that harnesses the vitality of the private sector to address the health problems of low-income andvulnerable populations in more than 60 developing countries. With programs in malaria, reproductive health, child survival and HIV, PSI promotes products, services and healthy behavior that enable low-income and vulnerable people to lead healthier lives. In many cases, products and services are sold at subsidized prices rather than given away in order to motivate commercial sector involvement. PSI is the leading nonprofit social marketing organization in the world. [http://www.psi.org/resources/pubs/PSI-fact-sheet.pdf] .

History

PSI was founded in 1970 to improve reproductive health using commercial marketing strategies. For its first 15 years, PSI worked mostly in family planning (hence the name Population Services International). In 1985, it started promoting oral rehydration therapy. PSI’s first HIV prevention project — which promoted abstinence, fidelity and condoms — began in 1988. PSI added malaria and safewater to its portfolio in the 1990s. [http://www.psi.org/resources/pubs/PSI-fact-sheet.pdf/] .

Health Impact

PSI has an uncommon focus on measurable health impact and attempts to measure its effect on disease and death much like a for-profit measures its profits. In 2006, PSI estimates that its programs directly prevented more than 218,000 HIV infections, 6.7 million unintended pregnancies, more than 140,000 child deaths from malaria and diarrhea and 34 million malaria episodes. [http://www.psi.org/resources/pubs/PSI-fact-sheet.pdf/] .

Programs

Malaria:
Each year 350-500 million cases of [http://www.psi.org/malaria malaria] lead to more than one million deaths, mostly of African children. To prevent malaria, PSI uses targeted subsidies to make insecticide-treated mosquito nets and long-lasting insecticidal nets available to malaria risk groups (especially pregnant women and children under five) through public and private channels in endemic countries. To treat malaria, PSI uses social marketing to make pre-packaged therapy widely available and affordable through commercial outlets. PSI estimates that in 2006, these products directly prevented 34 millions episodes of malaria, saving the lives of140,000 children. [http://www.psi.org/resources/pubs/PSI-fact-sheet.pdf/] .

Reproductive Health:
Every year there are 66 million [http://www.psi.org/reproductive-health unintended pregnancies] and more than 500,000 deaths from pregnancy-related causes. PSI provides the information and tools necessary for couples to space the births of their children, improving the health of the entire family. In 2006, increased knowledge and access to a range of contraceptive methods is estimated to have averted 6.7 million unintended pregnancies and 13,000 maternal deaths due to complications related to pregnancy and child birth. Additionally, PSImarkets clean delivery kits and multivitamins with iron andfolic acid to women of reproductive age in several countries. [http://www.psi.org/resources/pubs/PSI-fact-sheet.pdf/] .

Water/Child Survival:
Every day 5,000 children die from [http://www.psi.org/child-survival diarrheal diseases] caused mainly by drinking contaminated water. To prevent these diseases, PSI uses social marketing to distribute safe water products that allow families to treat their water at home. To treat dehydration caused by diarrhea, PSI markets oral rehydration salts. These products, in combination with educational communication campaigns, enabled PSI to avert an estimated 11 million cases of diarrhea in 2006. PSI also markets nutritional supplements, such as Sprinkles flakes which are mixed into children’s porridge or milk to prevent iron deficiency that can lead to impairment ofcognitive growth. [http://www.psi.org/resources/pubs/PSI-fact-sheet.pdf/] .

HIV:
Millions of people each year become infected with [http://www.psi.org/HIV HIV] . To reduce the number of infections, PSI uses a balanced and targeted approach including the promotion of abstinence, mutual fidelity and correct and consistent condom use. PSI also implements voluntary counseling and testing alongside a variety of educational and behavior change communication campaigns that discourage harmful cultural norms such as unprotected sex, cross-generational sex and stigma and prejudice against people living with HIV. In 2006, PSI products and services are estimated to have prevented more than 218,000 HIV infections. [http://www.psi.org/resources/pubs/PSI-fact-sheet.pdf/] .

Program Location

World headquarters in Washington, D.C., programs in more than [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work 60 developing countries] , European affiliate in London.

Active in:

[http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/angola.html Angola] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/innovaids.html Asia Regional] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/benin.html Benin] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/botswana.html Botswana] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/burkina_faso.html Burkina Faso] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/burundi.html Burundi] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/cambodia.html Cambodia] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/cameroon.html Cameroon] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/caribbean.html Caribbean Regional] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/car.html Central African Republic] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/central_america.html Central America Regional] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/cent-asia.html Central Asian Republics] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/china.html China] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/congo_brazzaville.html Republic of the Congo-Brazzaville] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/congo_kinshasa.html Democratic Republic of the Congo-Kinshasa] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/cote_divoire.html Côte d'Ivoire] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/dr.html Dominican Republic] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/ethiopia.html Ethiopia] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/guinea.html Guinea] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/haiti.html Haiti] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/india.html India] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/kenya.html Kenya] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/laos.html Laos] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/lesotho.html Lesotho] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/madagascar.html Madagascar] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/malawi.html Malawi] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/mali.html Mali] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/mexico.html Mexico] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/mozambique.html Mozambique] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/myanmar.html Myanmar] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/namibia.html Namibia] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/nepal.html Nepal] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/nigeria.html Nigeria] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/pakistan.html Pakistan] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/paraguay.html Paraguay] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/romania.html Romania] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/russia.html Russia] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/rwanda.html Rwanda] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/south_africa.html South Africa] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/swaziland.html Swaziland] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/sudan.html Sudan] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/tanzania.html Tanzania] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/thailand.html Thailand] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/togo.html Togo] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/uganda.html Uganda] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/Vietnam.html Vietnam] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/west_africa_regional.html West Africa Regional] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/zambia.html Zambia] , [http://www.psi.org/where_we_work/zimbabwe.html Zimbabwe] ,

People

PSI employs more than 150 U.S. staff, more than 100 overseas expatriate staff and 8,000 local PSI affiliate staff.

2008 Revenue (budget)

$372 million (est.).

Administrative Costs as Percent of Revenue:

6.2% (2006), 13.3% (1992).

Donors

Major donors include the governments of the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and theNetherlands; the Global Fund, United Nations agencies, private foundations, corporations and individuals.

Board of Directors

The [http://www.psi.org/about_us/board.html Board] includes:
Frank Loy, Chair, Former Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs, U.S. Department of State -Washington, DC,
[http://www.psi.org/about_us/ahmed.html Rehana Ahmed,] Physician -Nairobi, Kenya,
[http://www.psi.org/about_us/carlucci.html Frank Carlucci] , Chairman Emeritus The Carlyle Group -Washington, DC
Sarah G. Epstein, Population Consultant -Washington, DC
[http://www.psi.org/about_us/gyoh.html Shima Gyoh,] Chairman, Nigerian Medical and Dental Council -Nkar, Benue State, Nigeria
Gail McGreevy Harmon, Partner, Harmon, Curran, Spielberg & Eisenberg, LLP Washington, DC
William C. Harrop, Former U.S. Ambassador to Guinea, Israel, Kenya and Zaire and Inspector General of the U.S. Department of State and the Foreign Service -Washington, DC
Judith Richards Hope, Professor/Attorney -Washington, DC
Adriaan Jacobovits de Szeged, Former Netherlands Ambassador to the United States -The Hague, The Netherlands
[http://www.psi.org/about_us/judd.html Ashley Judd,] Actor/Activist -Franklin, Tennessee
Gilbert Omenn, Professor of Internal Medicine, Human Genetics and Public Health, University of Michigan -Ann Arbor, Michigan
Malcolm Potts, Bixby Professor, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley -Berkeley, California
[http://www.psi.org/about_us/mechai2.html Mechai Viravaidya,] Chairman, Population and Community Development Association -Bangkok, Thailand

ee also

* [http://www.psi.org Population Services International]

* [http://www.YouthAids.org YouthAIDS]

* [http://www.fiveandalive.org Five and Alive]

* [http://youtube.com/user/HealthyBehaviors PSI's YouTube Channel]

* [http://www.psibccblog.com/ PSI's behavior change communication blog]

PSI Media Coverage

*cite web|title=2 Young Hedge-Fund Veterans Stir Up the World of Philanthropy|publisher=The New York Times|date=December 20, 2007|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/20/us/20charity.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

*cite web|title=PSI Featured on Jeopardy|publisher=Jeopardy!|date=October 27, 2007|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq2lDdWsf2A

*cite web|title=CNN's Jeff Koinange reports on improving methods of preventing the spread of malaria in Kenya.|publisher=CNN|date=December 13,2006|url=http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2006/12/13/koinange.kenya.malaria.cnn

*cite web|title=Where AIDS Galloped, Lessons in Applying the Reins|publisher=The New York Times|date=May 18,2006|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/18/world/africa/18letter.html

*cite web|title=What? Condoms Can Prevent AIDS? No Way!|publisher=The New York Times|date=August 26,2005 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/26/opinion/26fri4.html

*cite web|title=Wall Street Journal Columnist Examines Criticism of Population Services International's Approach to HIV/AIDS Prevention|publisher=Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report|date=March 4,2005|url=http://www.thebody.com/kaiser/2005/mar4_05/hiv_prevention.html

*cite web|title=Fox News Profiles PSI's YouthAIDS Program|publisher=Fox News|url=http://www.psi.org/our_programs/foxnews-youthaids.wmv

*cite web|title=Madagascar seeks to maintain low HIV rate|publisher=The Boston Globe|date=November 20, 2004 |url=http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/diseases/articles/2004/11/20/madagascar_seeks_to_maintain_low_hiv_rate/