On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, Brooke (my supervisor) and I visited Celementina, a traditional birthing attendant who has a longstanding relationship with the S.O.U.L Foundation. She delivers babies at her birthing center in Buwenda, a village about a 20 minute walk from Kyabirwa village, where the S.O.U.L Foundation is located. Devin (my co-fellow) and I spent an enormous amount of time at Celementina’s to learn about her inspiring work which at the helm has been delivering up to 50 babies in any given month since 1974. Her work is challenged by a heavy load of obstacles which includes inadequate supplies and the inability to mitigate obstetric complications. Despite the hardships, Celementina still affords to be very receptive to all mothers as she provides hot water and resources to all. Some will not pay a single cent for the services. Women in the community trust and love her and our data shows more than 60% of women in Kyabirwa village choose Celementina as their first option when giving birth regardless of the unsanitary conditions.
I received several invites to come and witness births but had previously said no to these invites feeling that I was not mentally ready. That afternoon Brooke invited me to see one of the mothers giving birth which was special because she was expecting twins. The mother pushed and the first baby arrived alive and okay, but the second baby took much longer to come out and when it did, it did not make the first cry. We were all very scared but Celementina blew in the baby’s nose and eyes and swung the baby upside down, and the baby came to life, which I guess is “African Wisdom.” We soon joined everybody in dance and song but the babies lay in blood stained sheets. There was my moment of deep realization of Celementina helping mothers afford the basic labor and delivery services everyday here in rural eastern Uganda. This set me thinking and looking at Celementina as my ‘Why Global Health Corps?’ in my fellowship year and work – to support the advocacy efforts of providing women places of dignity to deliver their babies in Buwenda and Kyabirwa villages and the surrounding communities.