The Emir of Rano, Mr. Muhammad Umar, said the progress in his community around child spacing is due to support from men, as well as help from traditional and religious leaders.
He shared this during a visit from journalists who came to his palace as part of the “Solutions Journalism Field Reporting Trip.” He said this change is one of the most important improvements in recent years.
Umar said that many men now support child spacing using different methods. This has helped reduce the number of children families have, making it easier for them to take care of their needs.
He added that parents are now seeing the benefits. Children who are spaced out are healthier and happier, and mothers are stronger and better able to care for their families.
The three-day reporting trip was organized by Nigeria Health Watch in partnership with MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices and the Family Planning News Network. It brought together 20 journalists from northern Nigeria to report on positive responses to reproductive health issues.
Chibuike Alagboso, Director of Media Programmes at Nigeria Health Watch, said the goal of the partnership is to encourage journalists to focus on solutions, not just pro
blems.
For MSI Nigeria, working with trusted voices in the community is very important. Abdullahi Saminaka, a Norms Advisor, said they team up with community leaders, health workers, and respected people to promote child spacing.
He explained that they use local structures to provide these services so that they are easy to reach and fit within the community’s culture.
