The Vasectomy Project is encouraging men to join forces and take responsibly for family planning. This is an opportunity to bring people together to talk about our collective responsibility while offering men a concrete way to contribute towards a solution by having a vasectomy.
Among Doug’s two favorite things in the world are climbing mountains and talking about vasectomies. This week the mission takes him to Busia, Kenya, a town on the border of Uganda. Like many small African towns it’s extremely crowded, busy and frenetic and I love it.
There are large trucks and buses loaded with goods, animals and people waiting in long lines to get across the border. There are soldiers roaming about, motorcycles weaving in and out, music blaring, and loud voices shouting out what I imagine to be end of the day discounts. The market is bustling with men, women and children; some purchasing food for the evening meal, others carrying big bags on their heads and armies of men with wheel barrows loaded with merchandise destined for storage.
It’s the rainy season and the roads alternate between horribly dusty or impassably muddy depending on whether the sun is blasting or torrential rains are falling. I look up at the clouds to gauge the weather. The sky in Kenya feels low to the ground. I have never seen more intriguing light or more unusual shapes.
Doug, Ramon and I walk around the market with Dr. Charles Ochieng, our host and one of Kenya’s only vasectomists. Charles tells us that the average family size here is eight children per woman and when I look around and see so many children, I believe him. I also believe him when he says the poverty here can crush a man’s spirit.
As we walk around, everyone keeps a wary eye on us. For one, we are the only white men to be seen and secondly, we are the only ones carrying film equipment. People also recognize us immediately from the billboard that Doug has put up along the main road into town. The poster includes a portrait of Doug, as well as pictures of Ramon and Charles. Doug believes that showing the faces of the actual doctors gives them a greater chance of instilling trust in the people.
The young men are clearly eager to find out what we’re doing here and conversations start up instantaneously. Despite years of traveling to Africa, I still find it hard to tell when people are genuinely angry or when they’re just being extremely passionate. At the very least they are excited to share their opinions about our mission. Dr. Ochieng quietly whispers in my ear that the translation for the word “vasectomy” into Kiswahili is the same as the word for “castration.” With this new found information I take a closer look at the men’s faces and now I’m pretty certain they’re angry … not just passionate.
I look up from the viewfinder and see that Doug is literally surrounded by young men. He’s a spot of white in a sea of black. With everyone talking at once, I’m not sure what they’re saying so I move in closer. One man insists I stop shooting. They want to know why we are here. He is right to ask. Then they reel off in rapid-fire succession some undeniably powerful and important questions.
What is a vasectomy? Will we still be able to have sex? How much does it cost? Who pays for them? Can we work afterwards? Will it decrease our pleasure? Are you, white doctors, coming to Africa to reduce our numbers? What is the point of your mission?
One thing I love about Doug is that, just as he offers the “best quality” vasectomy regardless of circumstance, he answers each person’s question with the utmost respect, logic and patience. And so in brief …
- A vasectomy is a simple procedure that makes it almost impossible to have more children. The vasectomy prevents the body from delivering sperm to the semen.
- You can have as much sex as you want, but for the first few months you must still use birth control until it is certain all the sperm are gone.
- We are offering the procedure for free and we are even giving a small amount of money to help cover the costs of lost wages for the few days afterwards when we recommend you take it easy, but you can start working almost immediately and just as you normally do.
- We do fundraisers in the States to cover the costs of the mission and all of the doctors volunteer their time and resources.
- It should have no effect at all on your pleasure and maybe, just the fact that you can have sex and not ever worry about making babies will actually increase your pleasure. A lot of men say the sex gets even better because of that.
Doug explains that he has had a vasectomy and I can now say that I have had one too. Dr. Ochieng confirms his own vasectomy and testifies that the sex is just as good as ever. Perhaps, hearing it from a fellow Kenyan who is in his late 30’s is more convincing than from two white men in their 50’s.
Doug asks, how many children they have, and even though most are only in their 20’s, few have less than four or five. Doug makes it clear that he will not do a vasectomy on anyone without children. He says, “the reason for a vasectomy is to help men who don’t want to have more children, never to worry again.” And then he continues, “Now your women will not have to take pills or worse, get a tubal ligation, which might also cost you money.”
Will a vasectomy automatically make their lives better? Will their children suddenly receive a better education or get more to eat? Of course not, but I do believe that having less children can make their lives a bit easier. And at the very least, it certainly won’t make life harder.
I look around and see just how difficult life is for these young people whose brilliance, beauty and energy is not being expressed at full capacity. I imagine how different things would be if every single one of us were given a chance to benefit from all that life can offer.
Look around the universe. The world is truly magnificent, and while some are privileged to enjoy its bounty, for so many, there is only scarcity.
As I travel the world, I am wracked by the same question? “What we can we do to make things fairer on this this planet?“
And so we carry on the mission.
We want you to join in a new conversation about over-population and over-consumption, by asking men to take a very personal action to change the world. For weekly updates and announcements, please subscribe to our Campaign News.
See more of The Vasectomy Files HERE.
dumped you? not divorced you?
My wife says she is done at 3 kids and floated the idea I get one. I told her given the permanent nature of the thing I couldn’t get one until I no longer was willing to commit 18 years to another child. Things happen, I don’t know what the future holds. Not even thinking divorce, she could change her mind. Hell, I know a man who was a widower at 38.
My ex has some very serious gyno problems so I had a vasectomy to prevent any risk of dangerous pregnancy. Then she dumped me. I am now in my 30’s with no kids and no partner. Many single women are not interested in infertile men.
Vasectomy can be a good thing, but do it for yourself, not someone else. And make sure you have all the kids you want before you do.