GISAGARA - Local authorities in Save Sector, Gisagara district have resolved to involve local residents in the family planning campaigns.

Jean Claude Kabalisa, the Save Sector Executive Secretary, told The New Times that the decision was reached after the realization that previous sensitization campaigns had not produced the desired results.

According to the plan, with assistance from community health volunteers, local residents will be given basic knowledge on family planning which they will be able to use in new sensitization programmes.

On average each family in the sector has over 6 children, an undesirable trend that has to be curbed through sensitization campaigns on family planning, according to Kabalisa.

"We don’t have enough statistics on the number of children each family has but ideally, it should not exceed four,” the official said.

According to residents, many families in the sector have up to 8 children whom they can not even cater  for.

"It is difficult to understand how a couple can have 8 children and yet continue to have more,” said Janvier Nduwamungu, a resident of Mpare cell.

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