“Iam a resident of Lyriang village in Pajwenda sub county, Tororo district. I have two children. One is three years old. The other is one and a half months old. I was about 17 years when I got my first pregnancy. I was in Primary Seven at Oguti Primary School. I did not know anything about family planning or the use of contraceptives. It was after getting pregnant that I knew about the existence of family planning services and contraceptives. I got this information from a peer educator who worked with ASK Project [implemented by RHU] in our community. I wish I knew about family planning and the use of contraceptives before I got pregnant, I am sure I would not have got pregnant.
I asked the peer educator about family planning because I did not want to fall into the same trap. Though I was pregnant again and married, I did not want to have children very frequently. I wanted to space my children. So I sought information and services from the peer educator and he was kind to tell me the available alternatives. I chose to use the Injectables. It is what would give me what I wanted – space my children at least 2 years apart. I have been able to achieve that. My first child who is a girl is three years. The second child, a boy, is just one and half months old.
Many people in my village have also been able to get free family planning services and information. They taught us how to use condoms and their importance in preventing unwanted pregnancies and contracting STIs such as HIV. I live with my boyfriend but we are never worried of ever getting unwanted children. My boyfriend and I freely talk about these issues.
I encourage young people to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS and early pregnancies. They should seek available family planning services especially the use of condoms and test for HIV. Knowing your HIV status helps you live your life responsibly.
I appeal to RHU to bring more services nearer to us. I am told there is a service that can keep one from getting pregnant for up to three or five years. That service is offered far away, about 20km away, at Mulanda Health Centre IV not here at Lawaia Health II. I am sure if such a service was to be provided here; many women in my village including myself would use it. Nevertheless I commend RHU for making many family planning services available which I have benefited from, and I have not kept it to myself but shared the information with other girls in the community so they can also know what I know.