In a savory division of labor, Reena Gouda, 24, mixes the murki batter while her husband, Kunna, fries the delicious snacks. Together, they package a mountain of the scrumptious cheese treats, the sales of which make a steady income for their family, which recently expanded to four.
As partners in parenting and business, Reena and Kunna are glad to be able to plan how many children to have and when. When Reena was pregnant with their second son, a village community health worker visited their home and explained the pros and cons of a range of contraceptive methods to help the couple make an informed decision that best suited their family. The Goudas live in Cuttack district in Odisha state, India, where nearly 14 percent of married couples have an unmet need for family planning.
To read the full piece — and learn how MCSP is providing technical support to the Government of India in five states to expand access to high-quality family planning services — visit Jhpiego’s Medium page.