By Boluwatife Calfos
In a bid to promote improved access to family planning services and information, The Challenge Initiative (TCI) recently embarked on an outreach program in Mushin, Lagos State, as access to family planning services is the basis of reproductive health and an important component in empowering individuals, especially women to make informed choices about their lives.
Enhancing Lives: TCI Brings Free Family Planning Outreach To Mushin Residents, As Enrollments Surges
The program aimed to educate and provide free family planning resources to residents was held at the MCC General Hospital, Mushin on Thursday, featured health practitioners and mobilizers who ensured the smooth delivery of services to first-time and returning users.
Service providers, a retired nurse and TCI service delivery consultant Mrs. Asade Benedicta Folashade, and mobilizer Mrs. Abdulrahmon Azeezat, conducted awareness sessions with nursing mothers and women on family planning and it’s processes.
The program addressed common misconceptions about family planning, with many participants expressing gratitude for the education and resources provided. Faoye Oluwatobi, a nursing mother, shared her experience: according to her “I was scared of family planning due to a relative’s negative experience, but now I’m willing to try it. It’s not that I don’t have the intention to embrace family planning but I’m scared. My relative who was once on a family planning injectable method bled for a very long time but now that I know there are different processes, I’d love to embrace family planning. It’s very good.” She added.
From Awareness to Action: The Journey of Family Planning Empowerment
In another testimonial, Aisha Ahmed, a 27-year-old first-time user, emphasized the importance of family planning for educational pursuits: “I want to further my education, and my husband supports my decision. In her words, “I have a child and I have never had any fear of family planning before. My husband is aware and he is in support too.” When asked if she’d advise young people to embrace family planning, she said “Yes. I’d advise young people to always use condoms while having sex or try out other family planning methods to avoid unwanted pregnancy”.
Ayeni Raliat, who is also on family planning procedure stated that family planning has helped her with child spacing. “I’m on the pill family planning method. That is, I use tablets and there have never been any side effects so far. The process is very okay. I use family planning for child spacing. I have three children. With family, I made sure there was enough age gap between my children. My firstborn was 6 years before I gave birth to my second born. With the economic situation of Nigeria, I’d like to advise my fellow women to embrace and adopt family planning just as I have”.
Mrs. Asade Benedicta praised the Challenge Initiative TCI, Lagos State government’s support for the initiative, citing the provision of commodities. “They are really trying,” she said.
“Lagos State government has been supportive. They provide the commodities that have been used so far. They are really trying”. When asked about the enrollment within the last three months, she said “There has been increase in the enrollment in the last three months most especially after the awareness lecture.
Today, about 3-4 people indicated staying and taking it before going home. Some of the nursing mothers are waiting to be done upstairs so they can come to select their preferred method. Others prefer to seek their husband’s consent.”
The outreach program’s success underscores the importance of family planning initiatives in promoting healthy families and communities as TCI remains committed to addressing reproductive health disparities and ensuring access to resources necessary for sustainable development goals.
