“They access and distribute about 4 different types of family planning commodities (contraceptives and the information) where there is high discrimination on Family Planning access spqcifically in the rural communities across Nigeria.”

– Nkemdilim Ezeokoli, Director at Nigeria Health Watch Foundation

Describe your contributions to and achievements in family planning.

I created a Contraceptive Security Program through PeachAid medical Initiative; it is a supply of free contraceptives to people in rural community so they can choose and use a preferred high-quality contraceptive method without interruption. We have reached over 4000 men with latex condoms; 2000 women with DMPA-SC injectable contraceptive; 3000 women with oral contraceptive pill; 2500 women with Intra Uterine Device contraceptives, among others. We have also trained over 400 local health workers to provide family planning services in communities where misconception, culture and religious beliefs are making FP uptake difficult. Our project is helping to reduce maternal mortality, unwanted pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections, as well as tackling the population explosion issues.

What sparked your passion for family planning?

In our rural communities, mothers are required to give birth to as many children as possible without putting into consideration their health, as well as the family’s economic situation. These mothers are made to believe by culture and tradition that they don’t have a voice or the power to make decisions on how many children they should bear. I believe that if they are given a choice to the number, timing, and spacing of their pregnancies, our high maternal mortality rate will reduce tremendously

Give one or two examples of how you display leadership in your family planning work.:

I plan and coordinate all Family Planning projects at PeachAid Medical Initiative to ensure that goals and objectives are accomplished within the prescribed time frame. I supervise the distribution line for all FP commodities to ensure it reaches every recipient, irrespective of their locations in the rural communities across Nigeria. I develop questionnaires for quarterly impact assessment, oversees the fieldwork and review the data quality to make a data-based informed decision in our projects.

If you are named a winner of 120 under 40, how will you use this new platform and the $1000 grant to advance your work? 

I will use the grant to procure more family planning commodities in order to sustain our free contraceptive security project; ensuring a steady and uninterrupted supply of the family planning commodities.

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