Family Planning for Guatemalans Living in Poverty

WINGS Family Planning educator, Evelyn Roquel provides vital private counselling for women interested in using a contraceptive method to ensure they are fully aware of their options. Here, Angelina, a WINGS beneficiary who was able to receive a voluntary tubal ligation after WINGS came to her remote community, speaks about her initial reservations about the operation and its significance to her:

"I heard about the mobile clinic at a talk the lady from WINGS gave in San Juanita. I approached her that day to say I had some concerns about the operation and she wrote my name down. Later, she came to see me in my home where I explained to her that I wanted to have a tubal ligation but that I was really worried about what to do with my kids after the operation – my baby girl is still young, and I already have 7 kids. She told me there was no problem because I only had to take it easy for a few days. That put my mind at rest – you see, sometimes there’s no food or work so [Angela appears anxious]... If she hadn’t explained to me how the operation works I don’t think I would have done it.

These family planning operations for men and women are great for us, our families, and for our communities. I’m thankful from the bottom of my heart because people came all the way out to here in San Juan la Laguna so that we women could have good healthcare. Thank you."

Luciana, a 38 year-old housewife, lives in a remote Guatemalan village with her husband and their 5 children.  Scarce jobs and limited access to farm land in their region make it a daily struggle to put food on the table; any more children would prove an impossible strain.

Luciana had not been able to access family planning services until a WINGS nurse came to her community to give a reproductive health and family planning charla, or talk. There, for the first time, Luciana learned about the importance of family planning and the types of methods available. Afterwards, she spoke privately with the WINGS nurse to discuss her options and understood that because of her age any more pregnancies could prove dangerous to her health and that of the child. Luciana took a family planning information sheet home to look through with her husband, and together they decided that a tubal ligation would be their best option. Normally, this simple operation would not only be too expensive for women like Luciana, but also unavailable to her rural community where health services are severely lacking. Fortunately, WINGS was able to guide Luciana to one of their subsidized tubal ligation clinic in a neighboring town a few days later. After a safe and successful operation, Luciana and her husband can now focus on taking care of their existing children with more security for the future.