Page 37 - EMBRACE Book
P. 37
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Hana, Rwanda
“My baby was the first to be born in the delivery problem, and they even helped me to transfer. I was
centre built by EMBRACE. very happy for that help.
I gave birth to my first four children in the health After giving birth, the nurses did all the post-natal
facility, which is local. But it was very difficult for care. The community health workers came to me.
me to reach the facility because it is far from my Even some local leaders came to see me and ask if I
home. When I went into labour with my fifth child, was well.
it was a struggle to get to the health facility. I
stopped at the health post where they were building I want to thank EMBRACE for training the nurses,
the new delivery centre to ask for help to reach the community health workers, and community leaders
health facility. I was so surprised when they told me to be aware of maternal health care. They have
that they were ready to receive women in labour taken good care of me. They monitored me for 12
and invited me to stay. So I delivered my baby there. hours after giving birth. I was so happy.
When I arrived at the delivery centre, I was dirty I want to say thank you to EMBRACE and ADRA for
from traveling there. The nurses helped me to get caring about maternal and child health care. It is not
clean so that I could make the delivery as clean as only maternal health care – you’ve opened doors in
possible. I was so happy for their help. other areas like nutrition and agriculture and other
things. Our children have better health thanks to the
After I delivered my baby, I opened my eyes and nutrition and permaculture trainings. I believe
asked myself if I was in Canada or Europe. I was ADRA is sent by God. I only hope that God will
surprised by the construction of the building I was recognize what they have done in this area. I thank
in. There are a lot of differences between this ADRA Canada and the people of ADRA Canada.
delivery centre and where I gave birth before. The
biggest difference is that the nurses here take care When EMBRACE began, I went to a few trainings. I
of maternal health. They give priority to the health stopped, however, because I didn’t know how I
of the mother and child. Another difference is how could go to the trainings and still find enough work
they treat the mothers. After my delivery, I was very to support my family. But now that I understand
tired. The nurses helped me to get to my bed. They more about health and hygiene, I feel that it is
gave me a small wheelchair. In the other facilities, it important for me to rejoin the EMBRACE group. I
was very different. There were no wheelchairs. I want to take better care of my family’s health.”
had to walk by myself from the birthing bed to the
recovery bed. That was very difficult because I
could’ve fallen or fainted from loss of blood during
the delivery. But here, they gave me a small
wheelchair so that I could transfer without any
Photo: © 2019 ADRA | Frank Spangler
