When 21-year-old Faith discovered she was pregnant, she stole a few thousand naira ($40 USD) from her mother to pay for a back-street abortion. With a daily income of barely 300 naira ($2.50 USD), Faith says she wasn’t financially or emotionally prepared to have a baby. So, without access to services or support, she sought out an illegal abortion from a village quack.
“They put iron inside me,” Faith said. “It [hurt] a lot. I was vomiting and felt sad.” Despite her experience, however, Faith feels lucky to be alive.