<![CDATA[This qualitative study employs a descriptive phenomenological approach to examine counseling-based social marketing strategies aimed at enhancing family planning (KB) program access and adoption in West Poleang District, Bombana Regency. Operating within a geographically isolated rural setting characterized by infrastructure constraints, low health literacy, and persistent sociocultural barriers, the research investigates how frontline field workers (PLKB) navigate these challenges. Data were gathered through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 18 key and supporting informants, including institutional leaders, field personnel, local figures, and active acceptors, alongside document review and field observations. The analytical process integrated Moustakas’s phenomenological framework with Miles, Huberman, and Saldana’s interactive model. The findings reveal that baseline conditions were severely hindered by geographical remoteness, human resource shortages, contraceptive myths, and patriarchal decision-making norms. To counter these obstacles, the Regional Technical Implementation Unit (UPTD) KB implemented a localized social marketing strategy centered on audience segmentation, behavioral focus, exchange theory, and value alignment. Crucially, the collaborative integration of religious and community leaders successfully dismantled religious hesitations and psychological risks associated with long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs). Post-intervention evaluations indicate substantial improvements in public health literacy, particularly regarding religious compatibility (+42%), which directly drove a significant surge in active contraceptive acceptors from 942 in 2023 to 1,876 in 2025. These results confirm that structured, face-to-face interpersonal counseling combined with multi-stakeholder collaboration serves as an effective mechanism for accelerating public health program adoption in resource-constrained rural environments.]]>
