A mother’s journey begins long before the first cry of her newborn. It is a deeply emotional experience shaped by anticipation, courage, resilience, and the unwavering hope for a safe delivery and a healthy baby. But for many women living in remote and marginalized communities across Kenya, this journey is filled with risks exacerbated by challenges such as long distances to the nearest health facility, lack of maternal health supplies, deep-rooted cultural norms, and the inability to afford medical care.
According to the United Nations, over 800 women around the world lose their lives to preventable complications from pregnancy and childbirth each day, and more than half of these deaths take place in Sub-Saharan Africa, where access to skilled care remains limited for many. Mandera County, located in Kenya’s arid northeastern region, is no exception. In rural villages like Elgolicha, most women still rely on traditional birth attendants, often delivering at home. These practices, passed down through generations, are deeply embedded in local customs and are often seen as the only accessible option.
Sahara Daud’s recent safe facility-based delivery is a significant milestone in improving maternal health outcomes in Elgolicha village, Mandera County. This was made possible through the support of Nomadic Assistance for Peace and Development (NAPAD), in partnership with Action Against Hunger (ACF), under a community-driven intervention aimed at improving access to quality and gender responsive health care services for climate crisis affected communities in Mandera, especially for children below 59 months and women of reproductive age. Sahara is a 35-year-old mother of 8 who for the first time delivered her baby in a health facility under the care of skilled health professionals. It was a moment that marked not only the safe birth of her child but also a new chapter in Sahara’s motherhood journey filled with empowerment, safety, and hope.
As part of this initiative, Sahara received a Mama Kit. This is a package of essential maternal health supplies that play a crucial role in preventing infections, reducing maternal and neonatal mortality, and promoting safe childbirth, especially in resource-constrained settings. Through this project, NAPAD prepositioned 300 Mamakits at low skill delivery health facilities in Mandera in Lulis, Iresteno, and El-golicha villages. In addition, she got support from a trained birth companion , formerly a Traditional Birth Attendant (TBA), who plays a formalized and supportive role in linking expectant mothers to skilled delivery services. The birth companions conduct regular home visits, follow up on expectant women, offer accurate health information, and ensure timely referrals to nearby health facilities.
Sahara’s birth companion, Sokorey Malow, played an important role in supporting her throughout her pregnancy. She shared information on the benefits of skilled birth attendance, addressed her cultural and personal fears, and ultimately accompanied Sahara to Elgolicha Dispensary when she went into labour. Sokorey’s support ensured that Sahara felt emotionally secure and physically supported throughout the delivery process. At the health facility, Sahara was received by skilled healthcare providers, safely delivered a healthy baby girl, and was later discharged in stable condition.
“I am so grateful Sokorey was with me when we came to the hospital. I had a sense of fear in me since I had never given birth in a health facility before, but I felt safe as she was very supportive and present, together with the nurses,” shared Sahara.
To date, the project has reached approximately 6,213 women with maternal health information through the birth companions. These efforts have led to 352 referrals of expectant women for antenatal care and skilled deliveries at the supported health facilities.
Sahara remains actively engaged in follow-up care with her birth companion and has committed to sharing her positive experience with other women in her community to encourage them to deliver in health facilities.