Saving Kenya's Environment Through Family Planning

*Not their real names

Jennifer, a devoted CORP, set out on her routine door-to-door sensitisation in the remote communities around Kalepo, Samburu East. That morning, Jennifer arrived at a manyatta in Loltang’at and met *Laima. The family relied solely on a small number of livestock for survival. Jennifer found Laima milking cows and greeted her warmly, offering to help with the task. Surprised but appreciative, Laima accepted the assistance.

As they worked together, Jennifer introduced the topic of family planning, explaining how it could help space children and improve the family’s livelihood. She also shared how a large family size puts pressure on grazing lands and water sources, leading to environmental degradation. "With fewer children to care for at once, families can better manage resources, and the land has time to regenerate," she explained.

Laima listened attentively but remained unsure. Her husband, initially sceptical, joined the conversation. "I thought family planning meant stopping childbirth altogether," he confessed. Jennifer patiently clarified the misconceptions, helping him understand its purpose: ensuring a better future for their children andprotecting the environment they depend on for survival. Convinced, he encouraged his wife, saying, "Let’s visit the health facility this afternoon."

With Jennifer's referral, Laima and her husband visited Kibartare dispensary later that day, opting for a five-year family planning contraceptive implant. Although they already had nine children, they embraced this change as a step toward building a brighter future for their family and the land they call home.

Moments like these affirm Jennifer’s dedication. "It’s exhausting at times," she admits, "but empowering women and protecting the environment makes every effort worthwhile."

"The environment is not a luxury, but a necessity. Family planning is one way to help ensure that future generations have access to the resources they need to thrive."Sierra Club

Through the generous support of GG, CHAT successfully disseminated behaviour change information (BCC) to 6,291 individuals over the last three months. Additionally, 1,193 family planning clients were provided with various contraception methods tailored to their preferences, with 903 opting for long-term pregnancy protection methods lasting either 3 or 5 years, effectively reducing the risk of unwanted pregnancies.

*Not their real names

Kashana*, a fisherman from the Mitamboni community in the CoastEcosystem, has always depended on the ocean’s bounty to feed his family and keep a roof over their heads. His wife, Amina*, known for her incredible chapatis, cooks at a small roadside hotel in the Shariani area. Together, they are raising seven children, all born in close succession. They live in a mud-walled house that is slowly crumbling, and like many in their community, they dream of better housing.

Lately, however, Kashana’s life as a fisherman has been growing more difficult. His catch has dwindled to the point where he often returns home with little or no fish. The ocean, once so plentiful, is now overfished, and the community is beginning to feel the impact of poor resource management. Realising that something had to change, Kashana joined his fellow fishermen in exploring better fishing practices to sustain their livelihoods. He became one of the initiative’s strongest supporters, all thanks to the influence of Community Own Resource Person (CORP) Mercylyn.

CORP Mercylyn is in the same women’s group as Amina. While Amina shared her frustrations about the strain of having seven children, Mercylyn introduced her to the idea of FP. Not only could FP help reduce the financial burden on their family, but it could also positively impact the environment by reducing pressure on limited resources. Intrigued, Amina shared everything she learned with Kashana, and they invited Mercylyn to their home for a more in-depth conversation.

The couple soon realised that planning their family would give them the time and space to improve their lives. They agreed to start with a five-year implant pregnancy protection method, allowing them to manage their resources more effectively and focus on providing a better future for their children.

But it didn’t stop there. Kashana, having embraced both environmental conservation and family planning, began inviting his friends to their home to hear Mercylyn’s advice. As a believer in the power of shared knowledge, Kashana knows that what helped his family could benefit others as well. In his words, "Knowledge shared is knowledge doubled," and the more their community learns about sustainable practices, whether in fishing or FP, the brighter their future will be.

Through the generous support of GG, CHAT successfully disseminated behaviour change information (BCC) to 6,961 individuals over the last three months. Additionally, 1,326 family planning clients were provided with various contraception methods tailored to their preferences, with 879 opting for long-term pregnancy protection methods lasting either 3 or 5 years, effectively reducing the risk of unwanted pregnancies.

“Investing in women’s health and family planning is not only the right thing to do but also one of the smartest investments we can make for economic development and poverty reduction.” Barak Obama.