We remember Peggy Curlin

We grieve the passing of Peggy Curlin after a valiant struggle against pancreatic cancer in September 2005. Peggy will be remembered as a champion of women's empowerment and rights. She served as president of CEDPA from 1978 until 2003, leading the organization's work with local partners to give women the tools to improve their lives, families and communities around the world. She was a recognized leader in women's health, serving on the U.S. delegation to the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994 and other international policy forums. She will be truly missed, not just for her many professional contributions but also for her friendship and warmth.

[from Yolonda C. Richardson, President & CEO, Centre for Development and   Population Activities (CEDPA) 1133 21st Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036 www.cedpa.org ]

ICDDR,B in Dhaka remembers Peggy Curlin's contributions during her two stays (from 1968-1971 in CRL and again in 1973-77).  In 1970-71 Peggy was involved in the Cyclone relief efforts in East Pakistan, along with other wives of Cholera Research Laboratory (CRL) expatriates and staff.  When George and Peggy returned to Dacca in 1973 after the War of Independence, Peggy and her dear friend Mustari Khan volunteered in smallpox vaccine eradication efforts in resettlement camps north of Dacca.  As the two friends went out to the camps, they asked women Why do you have so many children?  The refugees responded, We dont want so many. We want the shot that we heard about from Thailand (a Depo-Provera trial was being conducted but was not available for many more years in Bangladesh).  Access to contraceptives was an unmet need that Mustari and Peggy dedicated the next few years to, despite jobs at schools and their own young children.

CRL George Curlin, Henry Mosley, and Atiq Rahman Khan (then with the Bangladesh Family Planning) gave the ladies training and found contraceptive supplies from the government.  Peggy, Mustari, and Bunny Mosley went out to Tongi with a full station wagon after school was finished for the day and on weekends to distribute oral contraceptives and good advice.  These friends learned a great deal by talking directly with the women receiving assistance (pioneering focus groups!).

The need was so great that raising funds became imperative in order to meet increased demand.  In 1976 the project was named Concerned Women for Family Planning.  In 1977 a fund-raising concert by the Royal Nepal Musicians was hosted by David and Jean Sack in Dhaka.  Tony Drexler, with Family Planning International also assisted the new organization.  As director of the USAID Population Program, Ray Ravenhold, gave Peggy more advice. Concerned Women took their expertise to Matlab where community health workers supervised by Doug and Sallie Craig Huber (MHS)and Jim Phillips (Population Council) established community-based FP services that became the model for Bangladesh's successful population program. When Peggy and George left Bangladesh in 1977, Peggy was determined to establish a much bigger consortia of women in Washington, DC.  By determination and foresight, CEPDA continues to champion women around the world by listening to their needs and responding with appropriate resources.

In 1981, with support from PAHO, Peggy's CEDPA gave a NGO workshop on Oral Rehydration Therapy with Dr. Richard Cash (Harvard) and Dr. Henry Mosley (Johns Hopkins) coordinating the program with CARE and Save the Children.  This ORT workshop empowered NGOs to properly give oral rehydration solution instead of intravenous drips to restore dehydrated diarrhea patients to a proper fluid/electrolyte balance.  BRAC in Bangladesh implemented ORT in the villages and finally UNICEF produced packets promoted by James P. Grant.  In 2001 ICDDR,B received the first Gates Global Health Award for its pioneering work on ORS, saving millions of lives during the past 25 years.  We thank Peggy Curlin for being one of the firm believers and doers for family planning and life-saving oral rehydration fluids success around the world.