The rickshaw wala became a Father: a thread.
So I woke up to this class from an unknown number thinking it was the girl who asked for an apartment's location to visit tomorrow.
It was a "Rickshaw wala" (Rickshaw driver) whom I met pre-covid on my way back from field work.

I was wearing my employee card with a strap that has "Indus Hospital" written on it. The rickshaw wala asked me if I was a doctor to which I replied that I am not a doctor but I train community health workers and doctors. He then shared he and his wife are trying to conceive

but it's not happening for them. And that his wife has got herself checked from several gynecologists but all them of them said that nothing was wrong with her. I told him that has he got himself checked from any gynecologist yet? To which he replied very surprisingly saying

"Da khu da khazo kaar na de?" (Isn't this something only women are responsible for?). I explained to him how male and female BOTH are responsible for conceiving and there is no shame in getting checked from a gynecologist regardless of your gender. He seemed a bit reluctant

which I could understand because the society has stigmatized the whole idea of discussing Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) issues. It becomes an issue of "gherat" (honor) for a male if he is told to get himself checked too in case he is the reason why they cannot conceive.

And because of this the males who actually want to listen and help themselves don't do so because of the societal pressure. And the women alone are held responsible for not being able to conceive. Moreover, the rickshaw wala asked me where he can get an appointment from.

He dropped me and said he will think about it. He took my number so that in case he is unable to find the clinic or doctor that I told him about, he could call me. Today, after about 4 months I got his call saying "Umbaraksha, te thror joredo wala hai" (congratulations, you will

become a phuppo soon). I couldn't recognize until he told me he was that rickshaw wala. Lol, I almost cried when he said "khude de zre da khushalo na abaad ka" ( Allah tumhara dil khushiyon se abaad karay).
I don't think I have done something really big here, only requested the

male spouse to get himself checked. But I feel so happy and satisfied, like I have found this long lost love for myself all over again.
Conclusion: Both male and female are stakeholders in Family Planning and the discussion on SRH should be destigmatized.