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Story Telling from EPHA RH/FP project beneficiaries
Community based Family Planning service changed Obissie’s Life

A story of Obissie Guta from West Shewa zone, Adeaberga district, Ulagora kebele (one of the 151 kebeles where EPHA operates) shows the various positive impacts of Family Planning (FP) service and Health Extension Workers (HEWs) extensive and persistent support.

From 30 years of her life journey, 16 years passed in marriage. Her first marriage ended up with divorce. During that time, she had no clue about Reproductive Health/Family Planning methods. Then she became a mother of two children at her teen, but she lost the firstborn baby.

Written consent was secured

She even cannot write and read because of early marriage and shouldering the triple roles of women mainly child bearing and rearing, and managing in-house activities starting from her early stage of life.

During her second marriage, she heard about the use of family planning methods from friends. Then she discussed with her husband and agreed to use one of the methods. So, she started to use Injectable. After some time, she has got detail counselling from Health Extension Workers about all the different contraceptive methods and how to use them, the good parts and the bad.

"After I have got that very interesting and respectful counselling mainly on long acting methods, I tried to examine or compare and contrast Injectable, a method I’M using and the three, five and ten year methods. Finally, I have shifted my mind and selected the three-year method based on my interest". Obissie said.

she had some kind of pain OR discomfort but now she sighed with relief.

“Now I am healthy, no pain and no worries. Now I am safe. I know how to take care of myself and my families as well”. Obissie shared.

From the current marriage she has got two children with a gap of four years. Now she is a mother of three. Both she and her husband have agreed and decided to grownup these children properly.

“We don’t want to repeat our childhood suffering on our children during this time of civilization” Obissie explained.

Family planning to her understanding is about how to manage a healthy and happy life as per one’s life plan and economic status. She further acknowledged the HEWs around her kebele for their advices and far-reaching support in provision of quality and comprehensive (all method mix) FP services.

 

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