Etta Projects

Marta is a 19-year-old adolescent who had a contraceptive implant placed two years ago when we had our first pilot for sexual and reproductive health. Last week, she arrived with her 2-year-old daughter to SRH and PAP control campaign at one of the clinics we work with. During the consultation she reminded our staff doctor: "Do you remember me? You placed an implant for me two years ago, when my baby was barely a month old. I was 17 years old and had dropped out of school because I was sad about not having money for my daughter and my parents kicked me out of the house for getting pregnant. You encouraged me to continue studying and told me that in 5 years you were going to remove the implant but that you wanted me to show you my degree - that I had graduated from high school and was studying something else in some institute. Well, I tell you that I went back to school, my partner helped me financially. Then I started my nursing internship and this year I am graduating as a nursing assistant. I am happy because I was able to show my family that I am getting ahead, I also helped my two sisters, 14 and 16 years old, to get an implant in this health center, even without the permission of my parents, because I do not want them to go through what I went through." We celebrate young women like Marta. She is an exception and one that just needed a little encouragement and someone to care what her future was so she could believe in herself. Your gift changes one life at a time. Thanks for investing in Marta and her daughter.