In a small village in Papua New Guinea's Western Highlands Province, life has been anything but easy for Tina* and her family.
With four living children and the heartbreaking loss of one in 2022, Tina and her husband John* are doing everything they can to secure a brighter future for their children.
Family planning has been a lifeline for Tina. She knows that spacing her children and controlling the size of her family isn’t just about health—it’s about providing her children with opportunities they wouldn’t have otherwise.
John fully supports her in this, standing by her side as they make decisions together about their family’s future.
At first, Tina was receiving contraceptive injections every three months, but eventually she decided to switch to an implant. Lasting around five years, implants can be a reliable option for women who find it challenging to travel for shorter-acting contraception.
Recently, with John’s support, Tina made the decision to have her implant replaced, as it was reaching the end of five years. Given the challenges of life and their goal of supporting their children’s education, they agreed four children was enough.
The nearby health centre often runs out of supplies, which Tina says can be disheartening as it’s the only health facility nearby. With poor road conditions and expensive bus fares, travelling elsewhere isn’t an option.
Fortunately, Tina learned that an MSI Outreach team would be providing implants at her local health centre. This time, feeling confident, she walked to the centre and met the MSI Outreach team.
They removed her old implant and inserted a new one, allowing Tina to continue planning her family’s future with certainty and peace of mind.
Tina was grateful for the Outreach team, who enabled her to make practical decisions for her family’s wellbeing without the burden of a long and challenging journey.
Now, Tina and John can continue planning for their children’s futures with more certainty and stability.
For families like Tina’s, MSI’s work is about more than just providing contraception—it’s about empowering women to take control of their family's future, ensuring their children have the opportunities they deserve.
*Names and images have been changed for privacy.
There are many more families like Tina’s, whose lives would be transformed by sexual and reproductive healthcare. Can you help us reach them?