Their Own Words: Mother and Father of Six

Fatuma Muwesi and child

As part of the opening ceremony of the International Conference on Family Planning, a young mother and father spoke briefly to the audience about their support of family planning and their hopes for how they will be able to improve the health and financial stability of their family through planning.

Fatuma and Zubairu Muwesi have had six children in 10 years; the youngest is about 18 months old. Recently the couple made a joint decision to delay further childbearing until they are more financially secure. Mrs. Muwesi, who is 24 years old, said, “I used to produce year after year. I needed a break. I wish the access to contraception had been as easy as salt or paraffin.” In light of how many women do not have access to or knowledge of contraception, she considers herself lucky to have finally been able to find contraception through a ProFam clinic.

“I told my wife that family planning was a woman’s issue,” Mr. Muwesi told the audience. But Mr. Muwesi had a change of heart, and he now feels that couples should plan their families together. “I know now that [family planning] is for men and women,” he said.