“This Is What I Have Been Looking For”: Plangnan Envisions a Better Future in Nigeria
A Dream to Have a Growing Business and a Healthy Family
Plangnan Manasseh, a mother of five and a food vendor from Pendem Community in Nigeria, has one goal: to provide a better life for her family.
Balancing her business with the demands of motherhood, she has always dreamed of having more time and resources to expand her business and give her children a safe and healthy upbringing.
Discovering a Safe Contraceptive Option
Yet, repeated pregnancies have made achieving her goals difficult. “I wanted to rest from pregnancy and childbirth but didn’t know what to do,” Plangnan shared candidly.
A breakthrough came during a routine visit to PHC Mangu, one of the healthcare facilities supported by the Hormonal Intrauterine Device (HIUD) Scale-Up Project implemented by EngenderHealth. There, she learned about the HIUD, a long-acting, reversible contraceptive method that offers women the chance to safely and effectively space their pregnancies.
“When the nurse at the health center was talking about it, I felt that this is what I have been looking for,” she said, recalling the moment clearly. Empowered with new information, Plangnan decided to try out the HIUD method. She discussed the method with her husband and he fully supported her decision.
Since adopting the HIUD method, Plangnan has experienced nothing but relief and reassurance:
“Since I started using the Hormonal IUD, I have not had any problem—no bleeding, no abdominal pain.”
Becoming an Advocate in Her Community
With renewed confidence, Plangnan now advocates with other women in her community to explore their options for family planning:
“HIUD is good and has no issues. I am using it, and I am also encouraging other women to use it.”
Plangnan’s story is a clear testament to how access to family planning can transform lives—helping women take control of their own reproductive health, pursue their dreams, and contribute to their communities in powerful ways.