Zainab Abdullahi’s husband wasn’t the open-minded type. He was not much older than Zainab, who was eighteen years old and five months pregnant. In their community, the Ringim Local Government Area, Jigawa state, teenage brides aren’t a novelty. They were not in the habit of conversing except when asking for money for medical expenses. One day, she found her voice to broach the subject after he had had his favourite meal, fura da nono, a fermented milk-cereal. She told him she had been attending antenatal care sessions at the local health center.
He had turned to look at her. And I have learned a lot about taking care of our baby and myself before I give birth, she said. She proceeded to tell him about the maternal, newborn, and children health program (MNCH) by A360 Nigeria. “I told him about what I had learned, the stages of fetal growth, what to expect, and what I need to do at each stage to ensure that I have a safe childbirth.”
She then showed him the brochure she was asked to share with him. He read it with what could have been disinterest and cynicism. What he didn’t know and she didn’t offer, was that she had done a short course in negotiation during her LFH sessions and was taught how to approach such awkward and sensitive conversations.
“You can come for the next one,” she urged him, “they are very relaxed and not serious at all, and you’ll be able to ask them many questions.” He said he’d think about it. The following morning, as he was leaving the house, he asked her, “When is the next session?” He attended the next one. She was surprised he came at all. “It was interesting,” he later told her. This experience has significantly enhanced Zainab’s confidence and self-esteem, empowering her to address not only pregnancy-related issues but also broader concerns within their household with her partner.
By Dionne Oguna, Senior Specialist Project Communications, A360
