By Kuda Pembere in Mashonaland West
When 23-year-old Mai Audrey switched to Sayana Press after struggling with side effects from another contraceptive, she simply wanted a family planning method that worked for her.
She never imagined her experience would encourage other women in her community to make the same choice.
Today, women in Kasanze, about 45 kilometres from Chinhoyi, are embracing the self-injectable contraceptive not because of advertising campaigns, but because they trust the experiences shared by friends, neighbours and fellow mothers.
At Kasanze Youth Centre, a Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) facility offering youth-friendly reproductive health services, personal testimonies are becoming one of the strongest drivers of Sayana Press uptake.
Known locally as “S’yana”, Sayana Press is a self-injectable contraceptive that prevents pregnancy for up to 13 weeks. After receiving training from a healthcare provider, women can safely administer it themselves at home.
Among those inspired by Mai Audrey’s story is a woman affectionately known in the community as Mai Sabhuku, who recently visited the youth centre after hearing positive experiences from friends.
Born in Bulawayo, Mai Audrey moved to Kasanze with her family at the age of seven. A year later, tragedy struck when her father died, leaving her mother to raise the family alone.
“My mother struggled to take care of us,” she recalls.
Her education was supported through the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM), and after completing her Ordinary Level studies she worked as a domestic worker to help support her family.
“I later met my husband here in Kasanze. We dated, but I made it clear that he had to marry me properly by paying lobola,” she says.
“He did, and we had our first child, Audrey.”
After the birth of her first child, Mai Audrey chose Depo-Provera as her contraceptive method. However, she soon began experiencing side effects.
“While using Depo, I would vomit a lot. I had headaches and pain in my hands,” she says.
Her turning point came when a Community-Based Distributor (CBD) visited the area with information about Sayana Press.
“A few days before I was due for my next Depo injection, I met the CBD here at Kasanze Youth Centre and asked about Sayana Press.
“He explained that after receiving training I could inject myself at home.”
A nurse administered her first injection at the clinic and showed her how to safely use the contraceptive.
Thirteen weeks later, she confidently gave herself the next dose.
“I injected myself in the thigh. I feel good and I’ve become attractively shapely,” she says with a laugh.
“I haven’t experienced any problems. My menstrual periods have also become less frequent.”
Seeing the difference it made in her own life, she began encouraging other women to consider the method.
“I am only 23 years old. I had my first child when I was 21 and my second is just a few months old. After seeing how well Sayana Press worked for me, I told my friends, including Mai Sabhuku. Four days ago, she received her first injection.”
At her home, about a kilometre from Kasanze Youth Centre, Mai Sabhuku proudly shows where she keeps her Sayana Press in a cool, dry place before confidently demonstrating the simple self-injection technique she learned from healthcare workers.
For her, the biggest advantage is convenience.
“I no longer have to travel to the health centre every three months for an injection like I did with Depo,” she says.
“I can inject myself wherever I am, even if I travel. It also saves me transport money.”
The growing confidence in Sayana Press is reflected in Kasanze Youth Centre’s records, where injectable contraceptive clients increased from 353 in 2024 to 369 in 2025.
ZNFPC Mashonaland West Provincial Manager Herbert Chikosi says the method is giving women, especially young people, greater control over their reproductive health.
“Sayana Press self-care is giving women, especially young people, greater control over their reproductive health,” he says.
“It provides confidentiality, reduces service provider bias because healthcare workers train clients to administer the injection themselves, and gives women the flexibility to manage their contraception without unnecessary clinic visits.”
For Mai Audrey, the greatest reward is knowing that her own experience has helped other women make informed decisions about family planning.
“When my friends asked about Sayana Press, I simply told them what it had done for me,” she says with a smile. “Now more of them are using it too.”
