A Family Planning Conversation That Changed Lives
Oloya and his wife Jackline live in Madi Okollo District in Uganda, where the financial pressures of raising a large family made everyday life increasingly difficult. Through Oloya’s work as a Community Health Worker with our partner RICE West Nile, the couple learned about family planning and made a shared decision that has transformed their family’s health, finances and future opportunities.
Their story highlights the importance of male involvement in sexual and reproductive health, and how access to family planning information and services can strengthen families, support women’s economic empowerment and create lasting change across communities.
Oloya says:
I am 44 years old and live in Akavu village in Madi Okollo District. I am married to two wives and have 12 children; six with each of them. Jackline is my second wife.
Life has not been easy. I earn a living through farming, fishing, and growing cotton, and I also volunteer as a Community Health Worker with RICE West Nile. But even with all that, raising 12 children is extremely hard. The burden of school fees and medical expenses became overwhelming. Some of my children dropped out of school because I simply couldn’t afford the fees.
I was introduced to family planning during my work with RICE West Nile. That was the first time I got real, useful knowledge about it. It opened my eyes, and I shared it with Jackline, my second wife. Our last-born was one and a half years old and we agreed she should start a method. She chose the three-year family planning method.
Jackline used to suffer during pregnancies and often needed medical care. That too was draining us financially. But since starting family planning, she has not only improved her health but has also become more active and productive.
Family planning gave us space to plan our lives, not just our family
Oloya
Jackline adds:
I had never used family planning before. But when my husband explained everything to me, I agreed. Since then, I’ve experienced real change. I now run small businesses selling fish and local brew. I can pay school fees for each child and even save part of it.
This is because I joined a Women's Saving Group and started saving monthly. With those savings, I pay school fees, PTA and exam fees for our children. I also shared my experience with other women in the group. Two of them have since adopted the five-year method, and two others chose the three-month Sayana Press. I am proud that I helped others.
Oloya says:
We now live a much better life. My wife and I are happy, and our children are in school. We’re working together and sharing the burden of parenting. Family planning gave us space to plan our lives, not just our family.
I now use my story to inspire other men. I openly talk about how family planning changed our lives. I wish I had learned about it earlier, I might have stopped at four children. It would have saved me so much hardship.
I thank RICE West Nile and CHASE Africa for the opportunity and the knowledge. I am now living as a role model in my community, an example of what a planned and organised family life can look like.