By Chris Jones | Executive Director
“I grew up in a small village where there were no doctors, hospitals, nurses or midwives. I never had the chance to go to school. I lost my husband when he was young, so I had to work alone on my farm to look after my children. I have also worked in the community as a Traditional Birth Attendant (TBA) for over 30 years and have delivered hundreds of babies in the surrounding villages. However, I had little knowledge of how the body works and what actually happens during childbirth.There have been many complications during deliveries and at times I was fearful.”
Mrs Siza, 52 from Matupi Township, is well renown for her experience in supporting mothers during childbirth. Invited to the very first training course that we ran, she enjoyed herself so much that she requested to come again, and again. She has now attended the last five training sessions!
“The training has been more than I could have imagined. I was able to compare what I was taught with my experiences. I easily picked up the new skills such as hand washing, skin to skin contact, resuscitation, preventing excessive bleeding, breastfeeding, and how to measure blood pressure and temperature. I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have received. I feel so proud. Now, whenever there is a complication during delivery or with a new-born baby, I remember what I have been taught and am excited to perform the practices I have learnt. Since receiving the training I have found that skin to skin contact has helped me solve so many problems women face post-delivery. Through the practice of breastfeeding I see and hear many babies become more calm and remain healthy.”
Having travelled back to her village from the TBA training, Mrs Siza heard about a women who had been in labour for three days. Three nurses from Matupi hospital tried to help her but the baby’s shoulder was stuck and they could not deliver the baby. Eventually, the husband sent someone with a motorbike to ask Mrs Siza for help.
“It was a full day’s journey from my village to where this lady was. As soon as I heard the news I prepared myself to go and arrived there at 9pm the same evening. In the beginning, I was very nervous, because of the three government nurses. They were surrounding her and trying to help. However, I saw the mother’s pain and tiredness and felt very sorry for her. The nurses nally said that they could not do anything more, that she and the baby would die, so I asked them to please leave her, and let me see if I could help. When I realised the baby’s shoulder was stuck the lessons I had practiced during the TBA training from Health and Hope came to my mind. It was so clear. I did as we had learnt and the baby came out so quickly. Both mother and baby were happy within just a few minutes and the nurses were amazed and curious about where I had learnt this technique! The mother was crying and all of them were so happy and amazed. I thank God, Health & Hope and the TBA trainers from the UK, otherwise surely this women and her baby would have both died.”
We were so excited to hear Mrs Siza’s testimony and delighted that she had been able to put into practice all that she had learnt. Thank you to all who have been involved in fundraising for this project, we are so grateful for your ongoing support.
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