In Karan District of Somalia’s capital city, access to family planning remains limited by persistent myths – particularly rumors about side effects and links to infertility – that keep many women from seeking modern contraception.
For 27-year-old Nimca Ahmed Ali, those concerns shaped her decisions. A mother of six, she had spent much of her adult life pregnant or recovering from pregnancy. The physical and emotional toll were becoming harder to ignore.
Although her husband supported birth spacing and worried about the strain repeated pregnancies were placing on her health, Nimca hesitated. Her husband encouraged her to visit De-Martini Hospital in Mogadishu to speak with a provider.
At the facility, Nimca received counseling from a health care provider trained in Empathways, a client-centered communication approach, under the Women’s Integrated Sexual Health (WISH 2) program. WISH 2 is implemented in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and is led by the International Planned Parenthood Federation with the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, International Rescue Committee (IRC) and other partners in Somalia. It is funded by UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Empathways is a transformative tool designed to help providers and young clients build mutual understanding and trust, adapted for Somalia from a version created by CCP under its Breakthrough ACTION project.
Nimca’s counselor listened to her concerns, addressed common myths, and explained available modern contraceptives methods, including how they work, their benefits, and possible side effects.
After receiving comprehensive counseling and talking to her husband, Nimca chose Implanon, a long-acting reversible contraceptive method. The decision allowed her to delay her next pregnancy and prioritize her recovery.
In the months that followed, Nimca reported improved health and wellbeing, giving her more energy to care for her children and focus on her family.
Health providers at the facility note that her experience reflects the broader impact of combining empathetic counselling with supportive male engagement.
“In settings such as Mogadishu, where misinformation can strongly influence health decisions, access to accurate information and respectful counseling can be transformative,” says CCP’s Alfayo Wamburi, a senior regional advisor for WISH2. “Nimca’s experience illustrates how informed choice, supported by both a trained provider and a partner’s encouragement, can lead to healthier outcomes for women and their families.”
