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Safe Motherhood Program Creates Powerful Results

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Brian Otieno

Oct 29, 2024

Zambia

Categories:

#Childbirth #InfantMortality #MaternalHealth

Muzalema Mwanza, a passionate advocate for maternal health, founded Safe Motherhood Alliance after facing firsthand challenges during her first pregnancy in 2017. Born and raised in Zambia’s rural Siavonga District, Mwanza's experience opened her eyes to the harsh realities pregnant women face, particularly in accessing essential maternal care. In Zambia, many women are turned away from hospitals because they cannot afford the mandatory childbirth supplies—such as sterile gloves, disinfectants, and surgical blades—that hospitals require but cannot provide due to an underfunded healthcare system.


The impact of this is staggering. Zambia sees 470 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, and 22% of newborns die during childbirth, mainly due to preventable complications. Many women, especially in rural areas, resort to dangerous alternatives like traditional birth attendants, further risking their lives. Disturbed by this, Mwanza set out to disrupt the system by ensuring that no woman must choose between safety and affordability.


Mwanza’s Safe Motherhood Alliance has developed affordable, sterile birth kits containing essential tools like delivery mats and umbilical cord clips, ensuring safe childbirth even in under-resourced settings. The organization has distributed 10,000 of these kits, saving countless lives. In addition to distributing the kits, Safe Motherhood Alliance provides breastfeeding classes for first-time mothers and trains traditional birth attendants in safe delivery practices. The initiative also empowers these attendants with sales and advocacy skills, turning them into local advocates and distribution agents for the kits.


Beyond improving maternal health, Mwanza sees her work as an avenue for women's economic empowerment. Safe Motherhood Alliance is tackling poverty head-on by offering low-cost, sterile health products and educating frontline health workers. Mwanza believes that when women are healthy, they have more time and resources to improve their livelihoods, lifting themselves and their families out of poverty.


Mwanza’s vision for the future is bold. Her goal is to prevent deadly infections in over 20 million women across sub-Saharan Africa by expanding access to clean, safe deliveries. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her organization pivoted to produce 3D-printed face masks and visors, ensuring frontline health workers were equipped to care for pregnant women safely. To date, 50,000 pregnant women have benefited from these life-saving efforts.


Driven by her passion for social justice, Mwanza envisions a world where women are not bound by poverty or cultural limitations. She continues to seek innovative ways to achieve this goal. Her work transforms lives, ensures safe childbirth for women, and empowers communities across Zambia and beyond.


Here are ten simple, practical, and inspirational ways you can adopt in your community to bring about positive change, inspired by Muzalema Mwanza's impactful work:

1. Organize Health Awareness Workshops: Host free workshops in your community to educate people about maternal health, nutrition, and hygiene. Invite local healthcare professionals to share their expertise, fostering a culture of knowledge sharing.

2. Start a Community Support Group: Create a support group for expectant mothers to share experiences, challenges, and resources. This will help build a network of encouragement and empowerment.

3. Create a Maternal Health Resource Library: Collect and share books, pamphlets, and online resources about pregnancy, childbirth, and child care. Make these resources accessible at local community centers or libraries.

4. Advocate for Local Healthcare Improvements: Engage with local authorities and healthcare providers to advocate for better maternal health services. Use social media or community meetings to raise awareness about mothers' needs in your area.

5. Develop a Volunteer Birth Kit Initiative: Gather community members to contribute essential items for birth kits (like gloves, disinfectants, and sanitary pads). Package these kits and distribute them to expecting mothers in need.

6. Train Traditional Birth Attendants: Collaborate with local health professionals to train traditional birth attendants on safe delivery practices and the importance of using sterile equipment, enhancing maternal care in your community.

7. Promote Breastfeeding Awareness: Organize informal gatherings to discuss the benefits of breastfeeding and share techniques. Encourage new mothers to support one another in their breastfeeding journeys.

8. Initiate a Clean and Safe Delivery Campaign: Use creative campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of clean deliveries. Distribute flyers or create social media posts that highlight essential practices and tips.

9. Host Community Clean-Up Days: Organize community clean-up events to improve local health by reducing waste and promoting sanitation. This can lead to better overall health outcomes in your area.

10. Mentor Young Women: Offer mentorship to young women in your community, focusing on health education, self-empowerment, and leadership skills. Inspire them to pursue their dreams and become advocates for maternal health.


These initiatives can foster community engagement, empower individuals, and improve maternal health without requiring significant financial resources. By focusing on collaboration, education, and support, you can create a ripple effect of positive change in your community.


Photo Credit: World Bank Photo Collection, Flickr.

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Catalog #:

1024.113.06.102924

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