“Meeting the Matasa Matan Arewa mentor was one of the best things that have ever happened to me”– Hussaina Jibrin. 

In Kwata, Sabon Gari Local Government Area, Kaduna state, Hussaina Jibrin, 19 years old got married to her love Ahmad, who is said to be gentle and understanding at the age of 16. 

Hussaina and Ahmad decided to delay childbearing immediately after marriage, a strange concept in their culture and norms. They were frowned upon however they did not relent. 

At a young age, Hussaina was diagnosed with Anaemia, which constantly led to physical and emotional discomfort that aggravated her fears of getting pregnant. Fortuitously, it was also a major concern of her husband, who worried about the health of his young bride. With this knowledge, they made use of the family planning method best known to them- withdrawal method, an ineffective method. 

In Hussaina’s words- “I had mixed feelings because I wanted to be a mum but then I was scared to lose my life in the process”, she said: “I had fears when I was getting married because I knew I’d have to take in at some point and I am not strong enough to so”…  

Hussaina’s pregnancy period took a toll on her health, she almost lost her life, this led to the decision of not getting pregnant again. Sadly, tragedy struck as her two-year-old son died on the spot from a motorist accident. “My world came to an end’’- Hussaina. She noted that while she was grieving and mourning, she decided to get pregnant again, as she yearned for motherhood. The irony of this decision was that her pregnancy experience was worse than the first one. 

Fortunately for Hussaina, she met an A360 Matasa Matan Arewa (MMA) programme mentor during her pregnancy in her community who spoke about family planning and its methods, which opened her eyes to new possibilities. She spoke with her husband and they both visited Kwata PHC to get more information about the family planning methods that were recommended by the MMA mentor. 

In Kwata PHC, she met a youth-friendly provider that was respectful/welcoming. The health provider explained in detail the various types of family planning methods to Hussiana’s liking. She previously thought all forms of family planning methods were unsafe and harmful but had solid faith in the withdrawal method. After the session, she and her husband agreed to adopt a five-year method after she delivers her baby. 

Up taking the implant contraceptive method has made Hussaina and Ahmad happy because it’s easy to maintain. She feels at rest, with no fear of unplanned pregnancy for the next couple of years, hopefully by then she will be strong and ready for another pregnancy.