Saving Kenya's Environment Through Family Planning

“When he first visited my boma early in the morning, I suspected that something had gone wrong,”narrates Lenarte*. “According to our culture, when an unusual guest checks in that early in the morning, it rings a bellthat all is notwell,” Heexplainsfurther.

His wife was the first to see him as she was milking her cows when he entered their homestead in ayellow t-shirt and bag at his back. Just after they had their usual Serian (Maa greetings), theunexpected visitor explained to the wife that he would so much appreciate having a brief conversationwiththecouple.

"Our daktari, is anything the matter? Just tell me" begged the wife looking so scared that probablytheir daktari did not have good news for them. His confident response was meant to assure her thatnothinghadgonewrong,thoughthewife'sfaceexpresseddissatisfaction.Afterofferinghimaseat,she went to finish up milking and came back to wake up the husband to meet the somewhat unusualguest.

Since his engagement with CHAT as a CORP, Eturen had made up his mind to always conducthousehold visits within the communities especially early in the morning, since his focus was to reachboth men and women for sensitization. "I realized my community is paternalistic,hence a prudent idea is to ensure that men are also involved in the family planning decisions as they are the family heads and enlightening them on the importance of family planning enablesthem to approve and make FP decisions together with their wives, which could not be the case if theywerenotengaged," heexplains further.

Lenarte and his wife joined the guest who was waiting for them outside the manyatta. (Eturen waskeen to remind them to have their masks in adherence to the MoH protocols). Up to this time, Lenartehadn't yet conceptualized what news Eturen had for them that earlymorning.Assoonastheyweresettledanddonewiththeir‘Serian’,Eturenwentaheadandintroduced the subject matter. As he was explaining the FP intervention (using CHATs PHE approach)he could notice both Lenarte and the wife nodding in agreement. “Whenever our human population ismanaged, we are capable to have access to quality health and the environmental resources aresufficient enoughtosustainour livelihoodsandfuturegenerationsas well”Eturen recalls.

As he concluded his sensitization, Lenarte would not help but suggest to his wife about embracing the5years implants amongst the other contraception methods they had been sensitized about. “I amgrateful, that daktari visited us and my husband warmly supports this. Women go through a lot during child delivery and some of us even die in the course. I am lucky for having an understanding husband. I hope he becomes a model for many others in the community,” wife confirmed.

“What a joy! Every time I wake up, I think about steering change in our community andconserving our natural resources,” Eturen commented as he filled the referral forms for hisnew friend’s wife, as he hadpromised to accompany his wifetothefacility for services.

Thanks to GG support in the past three months, CHAT was able to reach a total of12,217 individuals with behavior change communication (bcc) information with4,467 family planning clients receiving different contraception methods, of which 3,562 chose the long-term methods- 3/5-years protection against unwanted pregnancies.

Overpopulation is a root problem of all the environmental issues. If you can control the population, you can control almost anything.” Rinkesh Kukreja, Founder – Conserve Energy Future.