While Rwanda is struggling to combat malnutrition and obesity among children, it has been proven that family planning is one of the pillars that helps build a country with a stable family.

The figures of the National Institute of Statistics NISR, show that in 2015 those who used modern methods of family planning went from 53% to 64% in 2020.

It is not only women who use birth control, men are also embracing this program, although it is not fully understood.

Male contraceptive use is still low because many men are afraid to use it due to misinformation.

As in Rubavu District, this is one of the weapons used to fight malnutrition and infertility among children, where they now have about 76 children who have provided offspring through this method.

Niyongabo Musa Dieudone from Rubavu Sector, Buhaza Cell, Duthanye Village, says that he decided to use the ’vasectomy’ method because he saw family planning was worth it and having discussed it with the wife.

He said, "My wife and I went to the doctor to change him to use another method, but the symptoms are when I immediately return."

Niyongabo Musa Dieudone
Niyongabo a father to four children,confirmed that he never got as sides effects and still performs his marital obligations as other men in the bed.

He said, “I carry out my other bedroom duties well, contrary to what others say about it."

He encourages his fellow men to plan for their children because women are not the only ones involved in this process, especially since the education of the child concerns everyone.

He said, "I didn’t understand it either. After being taught by health counselors and other trainings, I got to the point where I understand it."

In the first moments when he did it, his fellow men ran away from him and called him different names to insult him, but it did not discourage him because he had made a decision without hesitation.

He testifies that among those who walked away from him were those who shared a bottle.

"There are those who said to me, ’Do you think I will invite you to come and listen to the old songs?

Niyongabo explains that because of the misconceptions that these people are talking about, he decided to teach his fellow men.

So far, five have been permanently sterilised, as a result of his teachings.
He said, "In our cell, they gave me time to teach, because at first I was afraid that there would be a negative impact."

"After I realized it didn’t matter I went around teaching, now five of my male friends have done it."

The Deputy Mayor of Rubavu District in charge of social welfare, Ishime Pacifique thanked the men who have been involved in permanent family planning and that they help others in raising the awareness.

Ishime further said that there is a campaign to change men’s attitudes towards family planning.

Deputy Mayor of Rubavu District in charge of social welfare, Ishime Pacifique
She said, “The concept of family planning, especially based on beliefs, seems to be going slowly. Continuous teaching, apart from family planning, there are religions that do not accept it, even if they have a health center and do not believe that it is done there, and we are looking for a solution from the side. The closer we get to the people, the more they understand."

A man who has had this type of vasectomy usually continues to ejaculate normally when he has sex.

A specialist in women’s diseases, ’gynecologist’, who has a good understanding of family planning, Dr Niyonzima Jean Pierre said that in the semen there are sperms.

He said, "When a man obtains offspring through this method (vasectomy), they close the passage from the penis that allows the sperm to be found, which means that the person who has done it and has sex will ejaculate normally because the sperm passage is not closed."

"They look normal, but if you go to the laboratory, you will see that there are no sperms in them, because otherwise they come from the men’s penis and go back into the body, meet where the prostates are, and come out as a mixture."
He believes that this method is more reliable than a woman’s birth control.

Regarding the concern about not having sexual intercourse anymore, Dr Niyonzima says that people should understand that this method has nothing to do with having sex.

He said, "It’s not the sperm that causes a person to have sex, it’s the hormones that come from the blood, which means that a man remains a man because nothing changes in the process."

This specialist from Nyarugenge Hospital confirms that it is a perception that people have that has nothing to do with reality.

So far in Rubavu District, 76 men have completed the family planning process and that men will continue to be educated.

He said, "It is necessary to continue to teach how this method works, to make them understand that it is different from what they hear or even see in animals because all the activities.”

AE News