In my village, most girls marry before they become women. Like many of my friends, I married my husband when I was 15.
I’m lucky because during my three years of marriage, my husband, Hamidou, and I have been partners.
My husband helps me take care of our household. We both fetch water and wood. Hamidou even takes care of our infant, Ayouba, when I am busy with my business, selling food.
During our marriage, he has stood by my side, as I have stood by his.
We make decisions about our future together—as a team.
After giving birth to Ayouba almost two years ago, we decided we did not want to have more children anytime soon. We did not have the money to support a larger family, and we wanted to give all we had to Ayouba. Contraception was the right option.
I took an implant after my delivery, and Hamidou supported my decision. Hamidou accompanied me to the health facility, where I received the implant.
Before Pathfinder’s program came to Doss-Darey village, I had never heard of an implant. Most young married women, like me, never used contraception. We were expected to keep giving birth, year after year, until we became too old, like my mother did.
My mother had eight children, three sets of twins and two more boys. This caused a lot of hardship for our family. We never had enough to go around.
I learned about contraception from a relais communtaire who came to my home and taught me about the healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies. She gave me some advice after my delivery: wait at least two years to begin trying to conceive again. But I wanted to wait longer.
My implant has allowed me to fulfill my wish, and take control of my future—for that, I am so grateful.
Today, I give so much thanks.
I thank Pathfinder for coming to my village of Dosso-Darey.
I thank my community for accepting the Pathfinder program.
I thank the health providers for their willingness to offer us contraception.
I thank my religious leaders for talking to men in Dosso-Darey and letting them know it is okay for their wives to use contraception.
Above all, I thank Hamidou for his partnership and support.
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