Pidi Raga is not just an ordinary face of Gabagaba Village in Central Province; she is also the voice and face of Marie Stopes Papua New Guinea (MSPNG) in the field.
When I met Raga for the first time on Thursday, 24th March 2022 in Gomore Village, Central Province, she spoke to me as if we knew each other from some years back. We just hit it off with a conversation and a few minutes later, we were talking and trying to get things done.
She was immediately helpful upon our arrival in Gomore Village. As we unloaded the vehicle with our clinical supplies, she moved in with the team to start setting up.
I was impressed at the enthusiasm and energy she had towards our work, especially the support she showed towards bringing women together to receive family planning services.
“I love working with women,” Raga excitedly said.
“Before I was trained as a Community Based Mentor (CMB) in 2021, I worked as a volunteer with Marie Stopes PNG for a few months, so this is not a new thing to me.”
She said during her time with MSPNG, she had seen so many good things from Marie Stopes.
“MSPNG brings services right to our doorstep, especially for women in rural communities,” she said. “Instead of us having to travel into Port Moresby to get family planning services, they come to our homes, and the best part is that services are provided for free.”
I could see a group of mothers and young girls walking in from the main road to where we set up and I noticed they were aware of the location and our time of arrival, thanks to Raga’s amazing CBM skills.
“As a CBM, my job is to go from house to house and sit with young girls and mothers to advocate about the importance of family planning,” Raga said. “This is what MSPNG trained me to do.
“Normally before MSPNG is due to do its outreach work, I sit with the mothers and inform them that the team will be on the ground the next day so they are aware and will prepare to come.
“I speak to mothers about the long-term and short-term effects of contraceptives available for family planning, making sure that they understand well the different methods before making their choices.”
Raga added that she had seen and heard that many women in her community and other nearby villages have resorted to using traditional herbs to prevent pregnancy.
“Due to the strong beliefs of our customs and traditions, it is a massive challenge for me to educate mothers on the importance of family planning,” she highlighted.
“I’ve had women share with me that they have faced complications while using village herbs and leaves. Therefore, I continue to push to make them more aware of proper medical methods available.”
(Article by Eunar Noreen Karatu/MSPNG)