Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and Newborns (PAIMAIN) is a six-year USAID-funded project implemented in 24 districts by a consortium led by JSI. PAIMAN is designed to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality in Pakistan and address issues of family planning. Muslim religious scholars (Ulama) intervention, implemented by JHU-CCP, a consortium partner, has been a key building-block for PAIMAN. This unique intervention is implemented through a strategy that was chalked out by Ulama themselves. A Central Committee of influential Ulama is spearheading the project. Call to Life, a 13-minute documentary, primarily highlights the potential of Ulama in improving MNCH situation especially in hard to reach areas of the country. The documentary emphasizes the importance of Ulama as a medium for behavior change communication by assuring that religion and development can go hand-in-hand. An impact evaluation of this intervention affirms that the level of knowledge among respondents exposed to health messages by Ulama was generally 25% higher than those who were not exposed.
