By Yagana Ali
A sustained awareness campaign by The Challenge Initiative (TCI), an international NGO, has led to a significant decline in misconceptions surrounding family planning in Adamawa State. According to Mr. Godiya Yusuf, TCI’s State Programme Manager, the state recorded 104,486 new family planning acceptors between 2024 and mid-2025.
The partnership between TCI and the Adamawa government has been instrumental in dispelling myths about contraceptives and increasing service uptake across communities. Key factors contributing to the success include training health workers, awareness creation, and consistent supervision. Notably, modern contraceptive users rose to 79,764 as of June 2024, accounting for 78% of the initiative’s reach.
Yusuf attributed the progress to capacity building, monitoring and evaluation, supportive supervision, and regular facility visits. Mrs. Aisha Abubakar, State Focal Person for Family Planning, emphasized that sensitization campaigns have helped clarify misconceptions. “Family planning is about spacing births, not stopping them. It allows mothers to remain healthy and ensures children grow strong. Pregnancy should be by choice, not by chance,” she said.
Community leaders and families alike have welcomed the initiative. Alhaji Kabiru Hayatu, District Head of Kajoli, noted that healthy women benefit their entire families and encouraged men to support their wives in making informed decisions about modern contraceptives. Families who spoke to journalists credited the interventions for wider acceptance of modern methods in rural communities.
Personal stories also highlighted the impact. Hajiya Maryam Musa, a 29-year-old trader from Jimeta, shared how family planning enabled her to regain strength and raise healthier children after dispelling her misconceptions about contraceptives. Malam Buba Ahmed, a farmer and community leader, now accompanies his wife to family planning clinics, illustrating the growing acceptance.
With approximately 1.2 million women of reproductive age in Adamawa, improved access to family planning commodities across health facilities has contributed to healthier families and reduced misconceptions. The initiative’s success demonstrates the effectiveness of collaborative efforts in promoting family planning and reproductive health.
