I hear the hum of voices even before I open the office door. About fifteen women, representing a broad spectrum of ages, are seated on wooden benches some with small children on their laps. My name is Christy Ngam, and I've come from the Ministry of Health to talk with you about family planning. After introductions, I'm going to make a brief presentation and then look forward to hearing your thoughts and concerns on the topic. Afterwards, I open the floor to discussion.
Several participants raise their hands.
In our village, with so many mouths to feed, the pressure to produce more food has forced us to clear a lot of our forest. This has caused soil erosion, a serious problem. As farmers, the soil is our lifeblood. Bih, in her mid-twenties, raises her hand. It's very important to my husband that he have many strong sons to help him raise and harvest the coffee.