The Challenge Initiative (TCI) has convened a strategic meeting in Sokoto to discuss plans for the year ahead.
The meeting, held on March 27th, at the NUJ press center focused on reviewing the upcoming activities, including hospital visits and strategies for media coverage surrounding family planning awareness.
The session whoch had in attendance media representatives provided an opportunity to outline plans and refine their approach.
The group discussed challenges faced in the previous year, particularly the importance of raising awareness about family planning in rural areas and ensuring access to family planning methods.
Speaking during the meeting, the CEO of AsheNews and a TCI representative, Mr. Abdallah ElKurebe recommended leveraging a variety of media formats—pictures, audio, and video—to tell compelling stories.
He emphasized the power of showcasing personal experiences, such as interviews with healthcare providers and patients discussing family planning methods.
“Sharing stories from people who have benefited from family planning can create a strong impact, especially for those who previously struggled with the challenges of having many children,” Abdallah stated.
On his part, the lead TCI representative in Sokoto state, Dr. Bello Kilgore highlighted the progress made in family planning awareness in the region.
He proudly noted that Sokoto is now one of the top 10 states in Nigeria for promoting family planning.
“We are actively engaging with communities in 10 local governments to educate people about family planning, where to access services, and the benefits of these methods,” Dr. Kilgore shared.
“While we’ve made significant progress, there’s still much to be done. I’d like the team to plan for the next three months to ensure we’re prepared for hospital visits.”
Similarly, the Chairman of the Sokoto TCI team and a journalist at Vanguard newspaper, Mr. Muban Dawaki introduced new guidelines for media coverage.
Under the updated rules, team members can visit specific locations independently and are encouraged to write unique stories about family planning based on their individual experiences, even if multiple reporters visit the same hospital.
This will allow for broader and more diverse coverage of the topic.
Speaking further, Miss Naomi Komgbenda from Vision FM raised a key challenge from the previous year: the lack of sufficient materials for healthcare providers to record patient information.
She recommended providing more writing materials to healthcare workers and ensuring family planning methods are available at all healthcare facilities for patients who need them.
The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to improving family planning awareness and ensuring that the necessary resources and information are available to those in need across Sokoto state.
