Saving Kenya's Environment Through Family Planning

* Not their real name

The sun had barely risen over the banks of the Tana River when CORP Gitonga began his walk through the farms of Kamarandi. The river moved steadily beside the village, feeding the small farms that families depended on for survival. Along its banks, women watered vegetables, children fetched water in yellow containers, and farmers prepared their land before the day grew too hot.

For many families in the area, the Tana River is life itself. It provides water for farming, cooking, livestock, and household use. But in recent years, the pressure on the river and the surrounding environment has continued to grow. Unpredictable rains, shrinking harvests, and increasing family needs have left many households struggling to keep up.

As a CORP, Gitonga regularly visits homes to discuss how family planning impacts positively both the environmental conservation and overall well being. On this particular morning, he stopped at the home of Anava* and Simon*, a hardworking farming couple raising five children. Their small farm sat just a short distance from the river. Rows of maize and vegetables stretched across the dry soil, but the crops looked weaker than they had in previous seasons.

“We depend entirely on this river,” Simon explained as he wiped sweat from his forehead. “When the rains fail or the river level drops, everything becomes difficult. Food becomes scarce, school fees become harder to pay, and even feeding the children becomes a challenge.”

Anava quietly nodded in agreement while preparing porridge for the younger children nearby.“With five children already, life is not easy,” she admitted. “Sometimes we worry constantly about how we will provide for everyone.” Gitonga listened carefully before gently guiding the conversation toward family planning and its connection to both household wellbeing and environmental sustainability. He explained how spacing can help better manage resources, improve maternal health, and reduce pressure on already strained land and water sources.

“When families can plan their children,” Gitonga shared, “they are often better able to care for the children they already have, protect their farms, and reduce pressure on the environment around them.The couple listened with interest. Although they had heard about FP before, they had never fully understood how closely it was connected to their daily struggles as farmers.“I thought fp was only about hospitals,” Simon said thoughtfully. “I never realised it could also help us protect our land and secure our future.”

Gitonga took time to explain the available fp method options and referred Anava to the nearest health facility for services. He also spoke with them about sustainable farming practices, tree planting, and protecting the riverbanks from degradation.

Several weeks later, Gitonga returned for a follow-up visit. “We feel more hopeful now,” Anava shared with a smile. “We can focus on giving our children a better life and taking care of our farm without constantly fearing another unexpected pregnancy.”

Along the flowing waters of the Tana River, small conversations are creating lasting change — helping families thrive while safeguarding Kenya’s environment for future generations.

Thanks to your generous support through GlobalGiving, in the past three months alone, CHAT has:

• Reached 3,136 individuals with life-saving health and FP information.
• Provided 1,022 clients with access to modern contraceptive methods of their choice
• Enabled 895 individuals to choose long-term pregnancy protection for 3 to 5 years.

Your contributions empower individuals in underserved communities to make informed decisions helping to rebuild their lives, and protect their environment. With your continued support, CHAT will keep delivering hope — one individual, one household, one informed choice at a time.

Otiende’s Story

When Emily, a community own resource person (CORP)  - a CHAT partner - visited Kindu Bay within CHAT’s Lake Victoria Basin Ecosystem, she met Otiende*, a fisherman whose livelihood depends entirely on the health of the lake. Like many individuals in the area, Otiende faced declining fish stocks, rising living costs, and growing pressure on natural resources.

During a sensitisation session with fishermen, Emily introduced family planning through CHAT’s People, Environment, and Health (PEH) approach—linking economic stability, environmental conservation, with overall wellbeing. This discussion marked a turning point for Otiende. He explained that he had never considered how family size could affect household finances or the sustainability of fishing practices. After counselling, Otiende and his wife chose a five-year long-acting family planning method, enabling them to better plan their family while easing pressure on limited resources.

Building on engagements like this, CHAT implemented integrated family planning and environmental conservation awareness  outreach through its innovative door-to-door backpacking strategy. Activities included household visits, community dialogues, male engagement sessions, and referrals to nearby health facilities and/or for other social assistance, with a focus on communities living near fragile ecosystems.

With support from GlobalGiving, CHAT disseminated:

• behaviour change communication (BCC) messages to 5,291 individuals during the last three months.
• 1,121 clients accessed family planning services,
• with 833 opting for long-term family planning methods lasting three to five years—reducing unintended pregnancies and strengthening individual stability.

By integrating environmental messaging into family planning discussions, communities increasingly recognised family planning as both a health intervention and a practical strategy for environmental conservation.

Reflecting on his experience, Otiende shared:

“Before this discussion, I thought family planning was only for women. Now I understand how planning our family helps us take better care of the lake and our future. I feel more hopeful knowing we can protect our livelihood and our children at the same time.”