Happy Mother’s Day!
We’re truly grateful that moms everywhere selflessly put up with everything from dirty diapers to teenage emotions in order to raise up the next generation. Moms, this is your day! We love you and thank you for all you’ve done and continue to do. Your hard work is not only noticed but sincerely valued. (After all, we wouldn’t be here without you! 😉)
Every day is Mother’s Day at 4africa as we strive to support and strengthen women and families in remote areas of Northern Uganda. Today, we especially celebrate the amazingly resilient mothers we serve in East Africa.
Empowering Mothers through Maternal Health
Motherhood is diverse. There’s no “one size fits all.” While some give birth, others lovingly adopt. Still, some bravely become caregivers due to unexpected circumstances. No matter the path to motherhood, the role is rewarding, challenging, and oh, so important. Mothers are raising and shaping the next group of world changers!
And while it is indeed a joy to be a mother, the job is almost impossible without support. In remote areas of East Africa and crowded refugee settlements alike, many mothers do not have access to pregnancy and post-natal resources or care.
Why We Care about Maternal Care
Think of how often we hop on the internet to find quick answers or download books to shed more light on a topic. Many mothers in East Africa must courageously navigate pregnancy and motherhood without those handy tools. Sometimes, the lack of support puts these mothers and their babies in danger.
So, we come alongside communities to offer training and helpful resources so mothers can confidently care for themselves and their families. Every mother deserves to feel encouraged and supported in such a huge endeavor. It’s our joy to be able to do that in the communities we partner with and serve.
In fact, maternal health is so important to us that we have exceeded our yearly goals in the first four months of 2021—and we’ll continue serving parents at every opportunity.
4africa’s Maternal Health by Numbers
With the support of incredible prayer and giving partners, as of April, 2021:
- 840 health promoters were trained on maternal and child health.
- 456 pregnant women, fathers, and mothers of children under five were trained on maternal and child health.
- 257 pregnant women and mothers of children under five received a follow-up meeting.
In all areas, that’s well over triple what we anticipated. Everything is bigger when God’s involved. What a blessing to continually expand our reach! As we serve, we get to meet selfless mothers like Jennifer.
Jennifer’s Story of Motherhood
When Jennifer found out she was pregnant with her third child, she was ecstatic!—but also a little worried. This pregnancy felt different. Something wasn’t quite right and she was experiencing some concerning symptoms. Not to mention that caring for two little ones while pregnant almost requires superpowers. And, once the baby was born, how could she keep all three of them healthy and out of harm’s way? Just finding clean water was a feat!
When 4africa’s local health team partnered up with her community, Jennifer was eager to hear what they had to say. Any bit of support would help! To her surprise, they covered many topics from conception through early childhood, and they even answered all of the questions that had been weighing on her mind.
They discussed what to expect during pregnancy, the importance of prenatal care and nutrition, the safest places to deliver, and how to care for a newborn. They even offered support for fathers, families, and mothers of young children. She learned about everything from safe sleep and first-year feeding guides to how to prevent malaria by sleeping under mosquito nets.
After attending the maternal health session, she made an appointment at her local health facility. Healthcare providers further eased her mind by offering a diagnosis and treatment for her pregnancy complications. Instead of delivering on her own, she decided to give birth at the facility.
“When I went for care, the nurses helped me handle my pregnancy complications until I delivered. Attending maternal health training was helpful in enabling me go to the health facility for treatment and monitoring.”
With 4africa’s encouragement, she was in good hands. An experienced healthcare team guided her through a difficult delivery safely—a delivery that may have been fatal at home without care.
“I owe my life to the training that I received, for I was able to give birth at a health facility where I was helped by professional people.”
Now, she is a mother to three beautiful and healthy kiddos.
Later, Jennifer told us, “My humble appeal is that you will continue the training in maternal health, for these trainings have changed my lifestyle at home. In our family session, I learned that family planning allows the mother to regain her strength in between pregnancies and helps her have healthier pregnancies. Child spacing also allows the baby to bond with the parents before another child comes.”
We’re thrilled knowing Jennifer and her sweet family are healthy and doing well! Happy Mother’s Day, Jennifer!
4 Ways to Support Maternal Health in East Africa
Want to get involved in the mission, serve vulnerable communities, and share the hope of Jesus? We’d love to have you! Here’s how you can help:
- Learn – Learn more about why we work in East Africa and the specific needs of those we serve.
- Pray – We pray that God leads us to communities like Jennifer’s so that we can support more parents and families. We never underestimate the power of prayer, and we deeply appreciate our prayer partners.
- Give – If you feel led, consider partnering with us financially. Loyal supporters make it possible to exceed our goals as we have this quarter and continue reaching vulnerable communities. Click here to learn how you can become an agent4change.
- Share – Sharing is truly caring when you’re supporting those in need. By sharing stories like Jennifer’s and joining us on social media, you help raise awareness and support. You can find us on Instagram @stand4africa_ and on Facebook @stand4africa.
