TAKE MY HAND
EPISODE 07
ONE STEP AT A TIME
Written by
Adong Lucy Judith and Andrew Whaley
SCENE I
LOCATION:
INT-MUGANZA AND PAMELA’S HOME-MORNING
B/G SFX:
DISTANT SOUNDS OF ANIMALS.
CHARACTERS:
PAMELA, PENINA, SSENGA DORA
MILDRED:
(NARRATION) They say age is just a number. I guess it’s true and
today I want to introduce to you a very unique couple, Muganza and
Pamela. Pamela is your typical village girl. She is young; 24 if am not
mistaken and a housewife who survives by cultivating the little land
she has. Her husband Muganza is an elderly man-a traditionalist of 44.
Much as the couple may be separated by so many years, they have very
much in common and Muganza adores Pamela who is about to bring
another child into the world, in the traditional way…
S. DORA:
Come on push, push…
PAMELA:
(DEEP BUT FRAIL BREATHS) I can’t Ssenga, I’ve pushed all I can.
S. DORA:
What do you mean you can’t? So should we just leave the baby in the
womb? Come on pusssssssssssssh!
PAMELA:
(TRIES TO PUSH BUT JUST BURSTS OUT CRYING IN PAIN)
S. DORA:
Be quiet. Do you want the whole village to know you’re giving birth?
PENINA:
(OFF MIC) Ssenga, how is she doing?
S. DORA:
Fine. I have everything under control if only you would step out and let
me work. Okay Pamela, lets push again.
PAMELA:
(SHE GIVES A WEAK PUSH)
PININA:
Ssenga, she is too weak. She can’t possibly push any more.
S.DORA:
That’s the problem with you girls of this generation, too weak to do
anything.
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PENINA:
Why don’t we take her to the health centre?
S. DORA:
Are you mad? From me, Ssenga Dora to a Health Centre! Are you
trying to undermine my skills in the midwife business?
PENINA:
That’s not my intention Ssenga, but...
S. DORA:
But what? Do you know how many babies I’ve delivered in this
village? You’re just a young girl of yesterday.
PENINA:
But Ssenga, would you please listen…/
S. DORA:
No you listen to me; some of the babies I delivered have even become
husbands and wives already.
PENINA:
I don’t doubt your skills, Ssenga. But this is obviously a complicated
case. There are sometimes complicated cases you know.
S. DORA:
Complicated for you not me. I am the expert here and I know what I
am doing.
PAMELA:
GROANS
PENINA:
Then don’t you think Pamela should have delivered already? But now
she no longer even has the strength to push.
S. DORA:
So you’re saying I don’t know what am doing?
PENINA:
All am saying is she is weak. She can hardly push. I am worried.
S. DORA:
You worry too much. I’ll give her another herb to boost her strength. I
would have done so already if you weren’t here distracting me. She
would be pushing already.
PENINA:
Are you serious? Look around, Ssenga. Look at all the cups and herbs
you have already given her.
S. DORA:
That’s nothing. This herb am going to give her is very powerful. It
can’t fail.
PENINA:
But how much can she take? Am surprised she hasn’t overdosed on
your herbs yet.
PAMELA:
GROANS AND MOANS WEAKLY
S. DORA:
I have never failed before and am not about to now. She will deliver.
PENINA:
(MOVING OFF MIC) This is pure madness. I won’t let you play with
a life just so you can prove your point.
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S. DORA:
That’s right, you go. You are disturbing me here.
PENINA:
I can’t watch this, Ssenga. I am calling Muganza.
S. DORA:
The husband! What does a man know about these things?
PENINA:
It’s all right, Pamela, I am coming…
PAMELA:
GROANS
S. DORA:
Don’t listen to her. Take this…
SCENE II
LOCATION:
EXT-MUGANZA AND PAMELA’S HOME COMPOUNDMORNING
B/SFX:
DISTANT CARS PASSING BY; TRUCK ENGINE IDLING A
SHORT WAYS AWAY
CHARACTERS:
PENINA, MUGANZA
PENINA:
(PANICKED, A LITTLE BREATHLESS AS SHE RUNS TOWARD
MUGANZA AND THE IDLING TRUCK) Muganza, Muganza…
MUGANZA:
(SLIGHTLY OFF MIC) What is it, Penina?
SFX:
MUGANZA STOPS PACKING BRICKS INTO A TRUCK. THE
TRUCK ENGINE IS RUNNING
PENINA:
(ON MIC) Your wife is in labour. I am sorry to disturb you whilst you
are loading bricks…
MUGANZA:
(SLIGHTLY OFF MIC, SHOUTING ABOVE THE ENGINE
RUNNING) Yes, yes I know she is in labour…But is there a problem?
You sound worried… what’s wrong?
PENINA:
It is not going well.
MUGANZA:
What are you saying?
PENINA:
(SHOUTING LOUDER) Your wife, Pamela’s birth… it is not going
well, Mzee!
SFX:
MUGANZA TURNS OFF THE TRUCK ENGINE. HE OPENS
THE DRIVER DOOR AND STEPS DOWN, CLOSING THE
TRUCK DOOR AGAIN BEHIND HIM.
3
MUGANZA:
(COMING ONTO MIC) What do you mean it’s not going well?
PENINA:
You need to come with me.
MUGANZA:
(ON MIC) I am just about to go and finish the last brick delivery and I
will be back. I am sure Ssenga Dora has everything under control.
PENINA:
Well you are surely wrong. My advice is that you get here right away.
MUGANZA:
Are you sure? I have a truckload of bricks to deliver…
PENINA:
I never heard someone in such distress. Your wife is very weak,
Muganza.
MUGANZA:
But Ssenga Dora has done this a hundred times.
PENINA:
This one seems to be complicated, Muganza, and I am worried. Truly.
MUGANZA:
Well, I don’t know…I thought Ssenga Dora had organised everything.
She even complained to me that I must be far away when the baby was
born because she doesn’t want men interfering. She said it is none of
my business as a man!
PENINA:
This is your business, Muganza. Your wife needs you and I can tell
you, as far as I can see, she needs you right now.
MUGANZA:
I’ll have to come then… I’ll come in the truck then…
SFX:
MUSICAL TRANSTION, FADE UNDER NARRATION
MILDRED:
(NARRATION) Muganza left everything and went to his wife’s aid.
Although there was a 20-year gap between Muganza and his adored
wife Pamela, there was no such gap in feelings. He rushed to find out
what was wrong and if he could fix it.
SCENE III
LOCATION:
INT-MUGANZA AND PAMELA’S HOME-MID MORNING
B/G SFX:
DISTANT SOUNDS OF ANIMALS.
CHARACTERS:
MUGANZA, PAMELA, PENINA, SSENGA DORA
SFX:
HEAVY TRUCK APPROACHING. ENGINE STOPS
PAMELA:
(ON MIC, CRYING) Am in pain… please do something, Ssenga.
S. DORA:
(ON MIC) Who is that arriving…?
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PENINA:
(RUSHING TOWARD MIC) Don’t worry Pamela, Muganza is here.
S. DORA:
What for? He shouldn’t even be interfering in this. This is women’s
business. Keep him out of here.
PENINA:
(ON MIC) I have brought him to see his wife…
MUGANZA:
(OFF MIC) What’s going on in here?
PENINA:
(ON MIC) Muganza, Pamela needs to be rushed to the health centre.
S. DORA:
Nonsense, we are doing just fine.
MUGANZA:
(OFF MIC) Okay am confused now. Who of you should I listen to?
PENINA:
Muganza, am telling you. You need to get Pamela to the health centre,
NOW.
S. DORA
Don’t listen to this little girl. Have I ever failed? Am an expert.
PENINA:
Remember your first wife, Muganza. Remember Mama Ben. Do you
want Pamela to also die in childbirth like her?
S. DORA:
That was an accident. There was nothing any one could do.
PENINA:
You can do something about this, Muganza. Please, don’t let her die
here. Take her to the Health Centre.
PAMELA:
(FRAIL) Muga, listen to Penina, am dying.
S. DORA:
No you’re not. You are doing fine. All you have to do is push.
MUGANZA:
(ON MIC) Penina, please… (BENDING DOWN TO PAMELA) You
are struggling, my darling, I can see…
PAMELA:
Help me, Muganza, help me.
MUGANZA:
Ssenga, help me lift Pamela to the truck.
S. DORA:
What? Muganza, curse the day your mother gave birth to you. How can
you listen to a woman in pain?
MUGANZA:
Ssenga, this woman in pain is my wife.
S. DORA:
She is sick. Sick people don’t know what is good for them. It’s up to us
who are healthy to decide for them.
MUGANZA:
That’s exactly what Penina and I are doing. Deciding what’s best for
Pamela.
5
S. DORA:
This is unbelievable… listening to the cries of a woman in childbirth.
She is just weak… weak is all she is!
MUGANZA:
Let us take her, Penina.
PAMELA:
GROANING
S. DORA:
Go, then… if you’re going, just go. But the next time you need help I’ll
see if you will come to me.
SFX:
MUSICAL TRANSTION TO
SCENE IV
LOCATION:
INT-HEALTH CENTER-AFTERNOON
B/G SFX:
CHILDREN’S CRIES
CHARACTERS:
MUGANZA, PENINA, NURSE MILDRED
PENINA:
(ON MIC) Muganza, calm down before you drill a hole in the floor. At
least we are at the health centre… and she is in the labour ward.
MUGANZA:
(ON MIC) How can I calm down? I could lose both Pamela and the
baby.
PENINA:
Am sure it won’t come to that. She is in safe hands.
MUGANZA:
It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have trusted Ssenga Dora in the first place.
PENINA:
Calm down, you didn’t know this would happen.
MUGANZA:
I should have known that a birth can get complicated so quickly and the
consequences are disastrous.
PENINA:
You’re a good man, Muganza. And a good husband. Am sure even God
knows that, so Pamela and the baby will both be fine.
MUGANZA:
You think so?
PENINA:
You just wait and see. She is in labour….
MUGANZA:
(SIGHS) I should have told Pamela to deliver at the Health Centre to
start with.
PENINA:
The important thing is that she is here now.
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MUGANZA:
Yes, and if Pamela and the baby make it through this fine. I will never
take Health Centres for granted, ever.
PENINA:
I trust Nurse Mildred. Everything will be fine.
MUGANZA:
Oh, a nurse has come out. This is bad, very bad. Penina, why is she out
here? I haven’t heard the baby cry yet. Musawo!
NURSE:
(COMING ON MIC) Yes please.
MUGANZA:
What is going on, nurse?
NURSE:
(ON MIC) We are doing everything we can. I promise. Be patient. I
have to go now, Nurse Mildred needs my help and these things am
carrying.
MUGANZA:
Did you hear that? The gods have forsaken me.
PENINA:
Don’t let your mind run wild now.
MUGANZA:
Oh, I should just be happy then right? The Nurse didn’t even want to
talk to me. What does that tell you?
PENINA:
That she is very busy trying to save your wife and baby.
MUGANZA:
No, that things are bad and she doesn’t want to tell me the truth.
PENINA:
Muganza, control yourself. Nothing is bad until the medical people
come out of that door and say so.
SFX:
BABY CRYING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
PENINA:
(RELIEVED) You see?
MUGANZA:
(SHOUTING) The gods have spoken. Pamela has given birth. The
gods love me.
PENINA:
The gods love you indeed.
MUGANZA:
(SINGING) Yes they love me. They just love me. The gods have
blessed me. I am… (PAUSE)
PENINA:
What’s wrong?
MUGANZA:
Pamela? What if the baby is fine but Pamela is...
PENINA:
My hunch tells me they are both fine.
MUGANZA:
Hunch! You’re betting Pamela’s life on a hunch?
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PENINA:
Relax, Muganza. A woman’s hunch is never wrong. Except Ssenga
Dora’s of course. (THEY LAUGH)
MILDRED:
(APPROACHING MIC) I see good news travels fast.
MUGANZA:
Nurse Mildred, how are they?
MILDRED:
(ON MIC) We did everything in our power and the baby is fine.
MUGANZA:
And…
MILDRED:
Yes, so is Pamela.
PENINA:
Thank you, God.
MUGANZA:
Praise be to the ancestors.
SFX:
MUSICAL TRANSTION AND FADE UNDER NARRATION
MILDRED:
(NARRATION) And indeed, once Pamela was in the health facility,
she was able to give birth to a healthy baby girl. It was tough though.
Pamela sustained some injuries during the delivery but she was at least
recovering nicely. During the short time she was in the maternity ward,
I was able to speak to her and Muganza about modern family planning.
SCENE V
LOCATION:
INT-HEALTH CENTER MATERNITY WARD-EVENING
B/G SFX:
BABIES CRYING
CHARACTERS:
MUGANZA, NURSE MILDRED,
MUGANZA:
(SHOWERING HIS WIFE AND BABY WITH GIFTS) All over town,
they will tell you I, Muganza, didn’t leave anything in the shops.
PAMELA:
I just hope you left something in the wallet.
MUGANZA:
Don’t worry Mama baby, this husband, I mean father is loaded. Here
you go; that is for you. This is for my girl and…
PAMELA:
Our girl.
MUGANZA:
Of course. That is for the baby and this is also for you.
PAMELA:
Muga, dear! A beanie for the baby and watch for me! Oh it’s lovely.
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MILDRED:
(COMING TOWARDS MIC) You two have such a beautiful baby and
Muganza is the ideal dad. He obviously loves her very much.
MUGANZA:
I love all my children very much, Nurse Mildred.
MILDRED:
(ON MIC) How many do you have now, Mr Muganza?
PAMELA:
This one is our third.
MUGANZA:
And she is every bit as beautiful as her mother.
MILDRED:
The other day, I had a woman in here about two years younger than
you, Pamela. And she gave birth to her fourth.
PAMELA:
So I should be aiming for a fourth?
MILDRED:
No, actually I’ve been meaning to talk to you about Modern Family
Planning but since your husband is here, I could discuss it with the both
of you.
MUGANZA:
In that case you will excuse me.
MILDRED:
Where are you going?
MUGANZA:
I don’t think this Modern Family Planning is a good subject for men.
MILDRED:
Actually, I wish more men were as involved in Modern Family
Planning as you are…/
MUGANZA:
Am involved!?
MILDRED:
In taking care of your wife and children.
MUGANZA:
Oh that, you had lost me there for a second, Musawo.
MILDRED:
At least you know what a trauma giving birth can be. Would you want
Pamela to go through that any time soon?
MUGANZA:
Never! I would never want my wife to suffer. What man would?
MILDRED:
My friend, you would be surprised. There’re quite a few who don’t
really seem to care.
PAMELA:
You can’t be serious, Nurse Mildred.
MILDRED:
They think it’s a woman’s duty to have it rough. That she should be
tough enough.
PAMELA:
I am tough enough. But lucky for me, my Muga is a caring husband.
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MUGANZA:
Indeed, I am a caring husband, Musawo. And I love my wife very
much.
PAMELA:
Thank you, dear.
MUGANZA:
Welcome dear. That is why I will not let her pump herself with those
family planning things.
MILDRED:
Muganza, I think you need to first understand.
PAMELA:
You’ve lost me there. What are you two talking about?
MUGANZA:
Those pills and injections.
MILDRED:
There are other family planning methods besides the pills and
injectables that you can choose from.
MUGANZA:
If it’s anything that involves anything foreign going into the body or
any body part, I want nothing to do with.
SFX:
PHONE RINGING
MUGANZA:
(SPEAKING INTO PHONE) Hello…oh I forgot…..no, I’ll deliver
them immediately….yes thanks.
PAMELA:
Its okay, go.
MUGANZA:
Are you sure?
MILDRED:
Run along, Muga, she’s in good hands.
SFX:
DOOR OPENS AND SHUTS
PAMELA:
Oh, he can really be something.
MILDRED:
Aren’t they all when there are excited?
PAMELA:
You are so right there, Nurse Mildred.
MILDRED:
Am also right when I say that even though you’re bound to recover
quickly, it would be wise not to fall pregnant for some time. Actually,
it is best that you wait for at least 2 years before becoming pregnant
again.
PAMELA:
You needn’t worry about that, Nurse Mildred. Am going to be breastfeeding, like you said. I think it will be impossible for me to fall
pregnant since I won’t be getting my periods.
MILDRED:
That’s good but breastfeeding will only prevent pregnancy for 6
months, if you do not give the baby anything else other than breast
10
milk, and you must breastfeed during the night as well as the day.
Nothing but breast milk--no porridge or water or juice for the baby.
PAMELA:
Nothing like that at all?
MILDRED:
Nothing like that for 6 months. The moment you slow down on
breastfeeding, you’ll be in danger of becoming pregnant.
PAMELA:
Then I will not slow down at all.
MILDRED:
And, if you start menstruating before the six months, you can fall
pregnant.
PAMELA:
What if I don’t menstruate. Am I safe then?
MILDRED:
If you breastfeed for 6 months; that is 100% breastfeeding, and are not
menstruating. Then you will be protected from pregnancy for 6 months.
PAMELA:
Am sure I can do that.
MILDRED:
Once the baby reaches 6 months, however, breast-feeding will no
longer prevent pregnancy and you really should be thinking about a
more secure form of modern family planning if you want to avoid
having another child soon.
PAMELA:
I understand.
SFX:
MUSICAL TRANSITION
MILDRED:
(NARRATION) And that is how it happened. Pamela by all accounts
took my advice. She never spoke to her husband about the exclusive
breast-feeding, however, just hoped she could manage on her own.
Then soon, some three month’s later…
SCENE VI
LOCATION:
INT-MUGANZA AND PAMELA’S HOME - MORNING
B/G SFX:
MORNING BIRDS SINGING
CHARACTERS:
MUGANZA, PAMELA
SFX:
CLATTERING CUTLERY
PAMELA:
More porridge, dear?
MUGANZA:
Thanks, Pamela dear.
PAMELA:
What of you, kids?
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BEN:
No thanks mum. Am full already. Here, baby, have some…/
SFX:
SLAP, FALLING OF SPOON
PAMELA:
Stop that. Ben, bad manners!
MUGANZA:
Hey honey, relax. What’s all this about?
PAMELA:
What do you mean, Muganza? Didn’t you see what he was doing?
MUGANZA:
What? Giving the baby porridge?
PAMELA:
Yes, the baby is too young to eat porridge!
BEN:
Am sorry.
MUGANZA:
It’s okay, Ben. Honey you’re over reacting. The baby is three months
now I think…/
PAMELA:
Three months and 10 days. So?
MUGANZA:
Exactly my point. All our other children were already eating something
at three months old and nothing was wrong.
PAMELA:
What? No they didn’t. What do you know about these things?
MUGANZA:
That’s nonsense, Pamela. You know what am talking about.
PAMELA:
Fine, but that was then this is now.
MUGANZA:
What are you hiding?
PAMELA:
Oh please, am not hiding anything. I just want things to be different
with this baby.
MUGANZA:
That’s absurd. You know as well as I do that it’s good to start giving a
baby soft foods slowly by slowly.
PAMELA:
Nurse Mildred said to give her breast milk only for 6 full months.
MUGANZA:
You can do that but why not give our baby some porridge…Oh, I’ll
give the baby some porridge myself.
SFX:
SQUEAKING CHAIR
PAMELA:
Leave my baby alone.
MUGANZA:
(BECOMING STERN) Kids, go outside and play.
BEN:
Daddy, we are still eating bread.
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MUGANZA:
Just carry whatever you’re eating and go with it, okay. Mummy and
daddy have something important to talk about.
SFX:
CLATTERING CUTLERY
SFX:
DOOR OPENS AND SHUTS
MUGANZA:
Now, Pam. Tell me what’s going on. The truth!
PAMELA:
Okay, I don’t want to get pregnant so soon.
MUGANZA:
What has that got to do with the baby not eating porridge?
PAMELA:
Everything. I can only control getting pregnant by feeding the baby on
only breast milk. If I breastfeed her that way for the first 6 months, and
I don’t start menstruating, I won’t get pregnant during that time.
MUGANZA:
Really! But how can that be? I hope this has nothing to do with those
town women.
PAMELA:
Town women!
MUGANZA:
Yes, I know they are good at coming up with such silly ideas all in the
name of keeping their figures.
PAMELA:
It has nothing to do with that. How would I even know those things? I
have never gone to town.
MUGANZA:
How can I be sure? You women have your ways.
PAMELA:
You’re the one who knows all about town life. After all you keep
ferrying things in and out of there with your truck.
MUGANZA:
Don’t try to drift away from the discussion here. Where did you get this
crazy talk?
PAMELA:
Its not crazy talk. Unless you’re saying Nurse Mildred has crazy talk.
MUGANZA:
Nurse Mildred! You better not be lying to me.
PAMELA:
Am not. As long as I am not menstruating and am breast-feeding at the
same time, I can’t get pregnant.
MUGANZA:
Till when?
PAMELA:
Well, until the baby is 6 months. But, the moment I have my period
again, I can fall pregnant any time. At least that’s what Nurse Mildred
said.
MUGANZA:
Nurse Mildred this, Nurse Mildred that, when did she tell you all this?
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PAMELA:
The very day we left the health centre. You suddenly left, remember.
And we had time to talk.
MUGANZA:
And you didn’t tell me about it?
PAMELA:
Muga, dear am sorry. I…I…
MUGANZA:
And you are doing this so that you don’t fall pregnant?!
PAMELA:
Is it wrong?
MUGANZA:
No. It’s just that I see now what you’re doing… Sweetheart, you
should never be scared of me, never ever. I would never harm you.
PAMELA:
So you not angry?
MUGANZA:
Angry?! Pam, I may be a traditional man but am the caring and loving
kind.
PAMELA:
Then understand that am supposed to breastfeed only, no solid foods
for 6 months.
MUGANZA:
Then what? After the 6 months…?
PAMELA:
Then…I don’t know. I have been breast-feeding exclusively as a birth
control measure but it can’t last forever. Muga, if I get my period, that
means I can have another baby…/
MUGANZA:
And you don’t want to have another baby just yet.
PAMELA:
No, am scared. You saw what happened with my last delivery, it was
frightening. And Nurse Mildred says I should rest my body for a few
years…
MUGANZA:
I understand, Pam. I certainly have no intention of losing you. It’s just
that a man can’t be kept in the dark. I don’t know why you hide this
information as if it is poison in the spider’s sting.
PAMELA:
I am sorry, I should have spoken to you…
SFX:
MUSICAL TRANSITION AND FADE UNDER NARRATION
MILDRED:
(NARRATION) Here is the surprising part. Muganza was true to his
word. When he said he was the caring and loving kind, he really meant
it. He didn’t want to see his adored wife Pamela go through any more
child birth ordeals and one day I noticed there was a bit of commotion
outside the clinic when a truck pulled up, loaded with bricks.
SFX:
REVERSING OF TRUCK AND WOMEN’S CHATTER
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MILDRED:
It was Muganza! And he was marching into the clinic, his engine still
running.
SCENE VII
LOCATION:
INT-HEALTH CENTER-AFTERNOON
B/G SFX:
WOMEN’S CHATTER
CHARACTERS:
MUGANZA, NURSE MILDRED
SFX:
TRUCK ENGINE IDLING
MUGANZA:
(APPROACHING MIC) Musawo, am sorry about the noise. I have to
leave the engine running because there is something wrong with my
starter motor.
MILDRED:
(ON MIC) It’s okay, so how can we help you, Muganza?
MUGANZA:
(ON MIC) Yes, I won’t take long. I just want to talk to you quickly –
am glad I found you here.
MILDRED:
I was just on my way in as well. Come right this way to the counselling
room. We’ll talk there.
MUGANZA:
I suppose I can leave my engine running for two minutes…I’ll be fast.
SCENE VIII
LOCATION:
INT-HEALTH CENTER COUNSELLING ROON-AFTERNOON
B/G SFX:
DISTANT CRIES OF BABIES
CHARACTERS:
MUGANZA, NURSE MILDRED
MUGANZA:
Nurse Mildred, be honest with me. Is breast-feeding a really a family
planning method?
MILDRED:
Yes.
MUGANZA;
It can prevent a woman from getting pregnant?
MILDRED:
Yes Muganza, it can.
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MUGANZA:
Good. My wife Pamela has been breastfeeding our baby for the last 6
months…/
MILDRED:
As a family planning measure.
MUGANZA:
Yes, but now she fears that she could get pregnant, especially since she
is now menstruating again and we have started feeding the baby a little
bit of solids.
MILDRED:
Exactly. She’s absolutely right.
MUGANZA:
She is?
MILDRED:
Yes, breastfeeding only prevents pregnancy for up to 6 months after
birth as long as the woman has not started menstruating.
MUGANZA:
She doesn’t want to have a baby right away and am okay with that. But
how do we make sure of that without giving her all these pills and
injections and other funny things?
MILDRED:
They are not funny things, Muganza. In fact these modern methods
work for millions of women the world over.
MUGANZA:
Am sure they do but I prefer trying something less intrusive. I am a
traditional but good man.
MILDRED:
I am sure you are, I have seen for myself how you take care of Pamela
and it’s highly commendable.
MUGANZA:
So what do we do?
MILDRED:
It’s really simple Muganza. Now, that the baby is 6 months, you need
another method of family planning.
MUGANZA:
And that’s why am here.
MILDRED:
Good, because Pamela shouldn’t be pregnant again so soon. Her body
certainly needs time to recover.
MUGANZA:
There we are on the same page. It’s the method now that’s a problem.
Isn’t there anything simple?
MILDRED:
Obviously you’re against what we call hormonal modern family
planning methods—pills and injections and implants…/
MUGANZA:
Very much. I don’t want anything to do with those ones.
MILDRED:
Yes, but there are also non-hormonal methods such as Moon Beads,
condoms, the coil and even tubal ligation.
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MUGANZA:
Moon beads? I think that can work. I always go by the moon. I tell
when the rain is coming by the moon.
MILDRED:
(LAUGHING) It’s time I told you and Pamela about Moon beads
apparently.
SFX:
MUSICAL TRANSTION AND FADE UNDER NARRATION
MILDRED:
(NARRATION) And so for the first time in my life, there I was about
to explain Moon beads to a traditional man in my clinic. But I had
hardly started my explanation when Muganza realised he had forgotten
his truck was still running outside the clinic.
SFX:
FADE OUT NARRATION
MUGANZA:
Ooops! I left my engine running. With fuel prices the way they are I
will be a poor man! (OFF MIC) Thank you Nurse Mildred.
MILDRED:
(NARRATION) But that is another story for another day. The point
was, until their baby was 6 months old, Muganza and his wife had used
the oldest family planning method known to mankind-exclusive
breastfeeding that of course only works for the first 6 months from
birth if the woman does not menstruate. And for Pamela and her
husband Muganza, it had worked. I get so excited when modern family
planning methods really work.
OUTRO
NURSE MILDRED SIGNATURE TUNE
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