Help Mothers and Babies to Thrive
Give a gift today to help new young mums
keep their babies safe and healthy
for the best start in life
Malaria is the leading cause of illness and death in Uganda. But Village Health Teams are striving to change this.
Teddy Lutaaya lives and work in Kawempe, one of Kampala's most densely-populated informal settlements. The community lives in one-room homes made of brick or sheet metal, built closely together, leaving no room for privacy. Big ditches run through the settlement, bringing in dirty water and rubbish. During the rainy season, the water overflows across people's doorsteps, increasing the risk of disease. Here, caring for a newborn is difficult and keeping them safe from disease is nearly impossible.
"My first role is to provide a listening ear and reassurance"
For the past 10 years Teddy has volunteered in her local community supporting mothers to give their babies the best start in life. She is one member of a Village Health Team of five and she is responsible for 50 households.
"In my job I see a lot of sadness," she explains. "Often expectant mothers are embarrassed, worried, and anxious. Many don’t know what services are available, and if they do, they’re unsure how to access them. So, my first role is to listen to them and offer reassurance."
Teddy is a source of reliable health information, advice and comfort for pregnant women - many of whom are still teenagers.
Please make a gift to Amref Health Africa to support our efforts to train amazing community volunteers like Teddy, so that she helps mums and babies to thrive.
In Uganda, 1 in 4 girls aged 15-19 years old are pregnant, or already have a child. Teenage girls face significant challenges if they get pregnant. They may experience complications during pregnancy and childbirth, social isolation, and be forced to drop out of school, which can have a long-lasting impact on their future prospects.
Caring for an infant presents its own challenges; Kawempe has no formal waste or water management systems, so open drains and waste provide breeding grounds for malarial mosquitoes and other water-borne disease which are a serious threat to newborn health. Malaria is responsible for 13% of deaths in under-fives in Uganda. (WHO and UN Partners country statistics, 2015)
Teddy supported Sharon through her pregnancy, making sure she had access to healthcare and counselling. When she gave birth to baby Abdul, Sharon was worried about looking after her baby and financially supporting Abdul as he grew up. Teddy showed her how to look after him, bathe him, and breastfeed, and play. She told Sharon about the vaccinations and check-ups he needed and what to look out for if he got sick.
A Double Safety Net
Amref trained Teddy in healthcare from the antenatal period to childhood, using mobile learning. In her house calls she passed on what she learned to new mums like Sharon and their families. In informal settlements there is limited access to the formal health system, so trained community health workers like Teddy are vital to teach new mothers how to prevent illness and connect them to the right places to get treatment when they need it.
Early diagnosis and referral to the local health centre was lifesaving for Abdul when he contracted malaria shortly after he was born.
As Sharon says, “Malaria cases are high, especially during the rainy season. This place is a breeding ground for mosquitoes.”
When Abdul was two months old, through Teddy, Sharon received low-cost health innovations to keep Abdul safe from mosquito bites, and provide him a safe place to bathe, sleep and play.
Help more mothers and babies thrive
There are so many more young women and girls like Sharon. They need the support of Village Health Team members, women from the community like Teddy, who can provide culturally-appropriate advice and support. Sharon says, “A happy and healthy baby is a mother’s pride.” She couldn’t be more right.
Please donate today so we can reach even more new mums in Uganda and across Africa with support from community health workers like Teddy, and low-cost lifesaving health innovations.
By making a gift to Amref Health Africa today, you are helping community health workers like Teddy, new mums like Sharon and their children.
All images above © Sarah Waiswa for Amref Health Africa, 2023
2024 Summer Appeal
Help new mums keep their babies safe so they get the best start in life
could help Community Health Workers to reach more people with vital health support.
could help provide treatment for one baby who is sick with malaria.
could help a volunteer attend a six-month course on infant care so she can support new mothers.