Sarah PecK

Anita Kumari and Mithlesh Kumar in Nanand, Nalanda, in the Bihar state of India. (Sarah Peck)

When Anita Kumari and her husband Mithlesh first started to visit villages in their communities, they weren’t welcome.

“Initially, when we went to villages,” said Mithlesh, “we weren’t even allowed to enter. They thought we were here to sterilize people. So, we developed a strategy, to communicate with key leaders in the communities. We discussed what we were doing, that we were there to share information and provide family planning options. The leaders listened, and eventually supported our efforts.”

Read more on Ms. Magazine.