HABIBA FULANI- 19 years
“My first impression of the program was that it was a complete waste of time,” Habiba, 19, says of the day a voluntary community mobilizer approached her to talk about Matasa Matan Arewa (MMA). She was at home carrying out her daily chores. “I had my child to take care of, a house to clean. I didn’t have time to listen to her.” Habiba was born in Muntsira LGA, where she got married to the love of her life with whom she has a child.
Eventually she succumbed to curiosity and by early August she decided she was going to join the MMA LFH classes. When she attended a session a few days later, she joined a bunch of girls her age and sat in a room. There were other young ladies she didn’t recognise. They looked important. The session was a peer mentorship model where young women lead adolescent girls through classes focused on health nutrition and interpersonal skills. The sessions led to opt-out contraceptive services with youth-selected health providers.
That first session piqued her curiosity, so she attended the second session which she found quite refreshing but intimidating. “Talking about our bodies is not something we grew up doing.” She remarks. “All in all, it was a very informative session because I learned about the signs and symptoms of sexually transmitted infections.” After the session, she hung around outside the room and later pulled aside one of the mentors called Amina. “I have been having some watery discharge.” She told her shyly, avoiding Amina’s eye. They were standing under a fruitless tree. What kind of discharge?
Amina inquired. She said a watery discharge gave off a foul smell. “I couldn’t disclose it to anyone because I am ashamed of it.” This challenge, she confided, has affected her relationship with her husband as he doesn’t come close to her, and she has begun to lose her self-confidence.
Amina was immediately referred to Muntsira Health facility where she was counselled on STIs and was advised to bring along her husband. They both went the following day and got the appropriate medication. Days later, Habiba called Amina to thank her and let her know that she was getting better. She also stated that her husband was happy with her as
she has solved one of their biggest challenges.