This Mother’s Day, celebrate choice

Many of the women who come to MSI for reproductive healthcare are already mothers. In fact, 84% of our clients are married, and they often have two or more children. This Mother’s Day, we share two stories of mothers who sought contraception to help them create a better future for their children. 

Planning for her family’s future 

Alice Chamboko is a busy farmer and mother of two from Zimbabwe. Unintended pregnancies could have derailed her ability to provide for her family, so she used contraception from MSI to space her pregnancies.  

When she and her husband were ready to have a third child, she walked to an MSI outreach site to have her implant removed. “I left my children with their father and when I left it was still dark outside. I was very happy because I was the first one to arrive!” 

“I wanted to rest before I had my next child and I wanted to concentrate on my family,” she explains. Contraception gave her time to farm and to build a new two-room house for her family. She feels confident about her future, knowing that MSI will be there when she’s ready to use contraception again. 

Hope after a challenging journey 

Ndéye Fall had her first child at just 15. By age 35, she had five children, ranging in age from 20 to 2 and a half. Some of her pregnancies were difficult, and her days working as a housekeeper are long—but she’s never given up hope for a better future for her family.  

“I want my children to grow healthy and have some success, and to help me too. I want them to know about all the sacrifices I have been making, and that I made them by myself. I want to be more independent and to focus on my future.” 

Though her job keeps her busy, Ndéye makes time for her children. When she has some extra money, she goes to the market for meat and cooks a special meal for the family. “It’s great when I can make proper food for them.” 

Ndéye turned to MSI for contraception, because she felt her family was complete. “It is good for me to have contraception as I have to look after a lot of children,” she explained. 

Now, one of her children is in university. Ndéye’s hard work has set her children on the path to a better future—and with contraception, she’ll be better able to take care of them and herself.  

Making choice possible for moms 

As we celebrate Mother’s Day, let’s remember that reproductive healthcare doesn’t just benefit women It helps entire families. When women have choice, every child born is wanted. And mothers can create better futures for themselves and their children.