Fasilat

Tell us about yourself.

I’m Alhaja Adesina Fasilat Titilayo, a mother, teacher and school manager. I have a passion for women and children.

As a child, what did you want to become in future? What do you do now?

As a child, I wanted to become a teacher and thank God my dream came true.

Why did you volunteer as a Mamalette Champion?

Because of the zeal to be of help to the women and children in my community.

What was a striking moment for you during this program?

During the Ramadan fasting period and rainy season, women in my community were so occupied with there domestic responsibilities that I struggled to get a lot of my home visits done.

Can you share a story of an enrolee whose life you have impacted during this program?

One of my enrolees was a mother of 8 children and was pregnant with the 9th one when she was enrolled in the program. Despite her health challenges during the pregnancy, she had refused to register at her antenatal clinic even by the 6th month of her pregnancy. I was able to support her with the fees and so she registered in a health center.

Subsequently it was discovered that she had cervical cancer and had a poor pregnancy diet. I was able to support her with food and resources in my own little way and made sure I monitored her case. I am happy to report that she gave birth in July 2019.

Why is your community important to you?

My community is important to me because it is very remote and lacks many social amenities including hospitals or health centers. I have been looking for a way to be of help to women in my community before the Mamalette program came up and I will say it came at the right time.

What in your life made you care about other people around you?

To me it is a personal thing, I don’t really like people suffering around me, I have been always willing to help others. I also have a passion for women’s health. It pains me to see women dying during pregnancy and childbirth.

Describe a time during the program where you felt helpless.

I felt really helpless when one of my enrolee’s husband called me and said I shouldn’t provide health education and support to his pregnant wife again. He did not give me chance to explain what I had been teaching her and he moved her out of my community. I later learnt that she died.

What message do you have for other women who are looking to make an impact in their communities?

My advice to women who are looking to make an impact in their community, is that they should be willing to give without expecting anything in return. The high levels of poverty in the country means that the people you are helping, tend to always have a notion that you are rich. For this reason, you need to have a lot of patience and determination when reaching out to the less privileged.