That’s what one young mother said at the end of TICAH’s World Contraception Day event. And maybe that’s what this whole day was about, finding voices, breaking silence, and reminding each other that every choice about our bodies deserves respect.
Have you ever had to make a healthy decision while feeling judged, scared, or unsure who to trust? For many young mothers in Nairobi’s informal settlements, that’s their daily reality. The stigma around contraception, the myths, the cost, it all piles up until the simplest act of seeking information feels like a fight.
That’s why World Contraception Day mattered so deeply this year. For TICAH, it wasn’t just a date on the calendar. It was a movement of young women walking shoulder to shoulder, literally, through the streets around YMCA Shauri Moyo. Young mothers from Majengo, Kibera, Viwandani, Kawangware, and Korogocho came together, joined by health workers and community leaders, to say:
“We are here. Our choices matter.”
Can you imagine the energy in that walk? Drums, laughter, baby carriers, placards with messages about dignity and freedom, voices that refused to be quiet any longer.
And then came the real magic: honest conversations. Young people ask the questions they’ve always wanted to ask, about side effects, myths, and fear. Health providers listen, really listen, and respond without judgment. Policymakers sitting in the same space, hearing the stories behind the statistics. For once, everyone was talking with each other, not about each other.
One young woman shared how she had stopped using contraception because of side effects and myths from friends. She didn’t want another baby, but fear had kept her away from clinics. That day, she found answers, reassurance, and a new method that worked better for her. When she said,
“Today I feel like I got my voice back,”
everyone understood what that meant, it wasn’t just about contraception. It was about confidence, autonomy, and choice.