Written by Samantha Sarra - Shanti Uganda Supporter

The birth of my daughter was the most precious gift I have ever received.  It took 40 weeks of pregnancy and 36 hours of labour to get that one perfect moment that was the first time I held my baby in my arms. 

During the agonizing journey of active labour, one thought kept strengthening me through each contraction.   A sense of sisterly solidarity with all the other birthing mothers around the world at that very moment.   If they can do it, I can do it, I told myself. 

In the weeks following my daughter’s arrival, I became awe inspired and overwhelmed with gratitude at the miraculous gift that was my beautiful child born healthy.  Once again, I thought of all those other birthing mothers around the world.

 I knew some of them like me, would be basking in the in the love of a newborn child.  I also knew that in some places, the unimaginable grief of maternal and infant mortality would be causing tears of sorrow instead of tears of joy. 

With my daughter’s delivery, also came my birth as a mother.  I was now part of an unending chain spanning from ancestors to as of yet unborn grandchildren.  I was left wondering what I could do to strengthen and support the shared mother heart.

Beholden for the priceless joy I had received in my healthy baby, the only way I could think to express my thankfulness was by giving the same gift to another woman in another part of the world. 

Through Shanti Uganda’s gifts of action, I sponsored the birth of one child.  It was the perfect present to give my daughter on her first birthday. 

Each night before bed, I kiss my daughter goodnight on her cheek and marvel at my good fortune in having her in my life.  The only thing that makes the blessing sweeter, is thinking of that mother in Uganda who because of the support she received from Shanti, is also kissing her child goodnight and going to bed like me, with a heart full of joy and love. 

Looking for unique and meaningful gifts to give this holiday season?  Honour your friends and family by buying them a Gift of Action and change a life in Uganda:

http://www.shantiuganda.org/collections/gifts-of-action

*Blog post by Shanti Uganda volunteer Lauren of her experiences in Uganda*            

            Safe Motherhood Uganda is a yearly event put on by the Ugandan Ministry of Health, along with dozens of other NGO, governmental, and local organizations all dedicated to health and wellness that somehow intersects maternal healthcare. This year it was held in Luweero district, and in fact, the events were held in the futball field around the corner from the Shanti Uganda volunteer house! A collaboration of folks from around Uganda began preparing the previous through a series of meetings and events held in Kasana Town, Luweero the week before Safe Motherhood Day actually happened.

16 women lose their lives in Uganda every day due to pregnancy related complications, 90 percent of these deaths are completely preventable. Safe Motherhood Uganda began in 2007 and has been held in different districts each year. The goal of Safe Motherhood Uganda is to form a coalition in order to attempt to prevent these deaths, and to find plausible solution for decreasing this atrocity. Groups such as UNFPA, White Ribbon Alliance, Engender Health, Shanti Uganda, as well as many others participated in this noteworthy event. One of the major goals of the event is to find a way to fill the void in the lack of availability many, if not most Ugandans have to facilities that offer maternal healthcare- One of the greatest challenges faced is the shortfall of 2,000 midwives in Uganda. 

            The day began with a march led by a youth marching band through the surrounding communities, where it was obvious attention was being drawn by the dozens of dancing children and curious bystanders. The field where the event was held was bordered by several dozen tables of organizations contributing to the event. Hundreds of Ugandans received masses

            Shanti Uganda had a table decorated with posters of services offered, displayed baby kits and reusable pads, a learning blanket, as well as beads and bags made by the Women’s Income Generating Group. We had many visitors interested in the prospects of antenatal yoga, and also had many questions surrounding the reusable pads distributed at our teen girls’ workshop. After the event, a course was held for the midwives on preventing cervical cancer, which related to the cancer screenings that had been held in Kasana the previous week.

            The event was long and informative! Everyone came away from the event having learned about a new topic, and contact information for an organization to connect with. We hope that when it comes time for Safe Motherhood next year we can see a reduction of maternal mortality and changes that have been made throughout Uganda to improve the health of mothers!

*The following blog is a post by Shanti Uganda volunteer Lauren and her experiences in Uganda*

Village Outreach- Katuugo 

            The ride on the boda (motorcycle) lasted nearly 20 minutes. I wanted it to never end. Through fields of coffee and maize, roads and hills I have never dreamt, homes of brick and stick and mud, dozens of school children scrambling through football yards and too big bicycles- we roamed. Not entirely sure what to expect, and somewhat unaware of where we were going, we arrived in Katuugo, greeted by the warm face of a man I had met two weeks before. We were late, so he and his small son had been patiently waiting for us as well as his other guests.

            To begin with, I was amazed at this man’s warmth and kindness. I realized at our last meeting he had a severe limp, but had somehow managed the 2 hour windy-hilly bicycle ride to admire our center. From the way he spoke of his newly constructed health center (a humble one room building, which employs one nurse) it was obvious that this man has a passion for his people and for the mothers of Uganda. He welcomed us to a seat in a circle under a large tree for shade as he spoke of the cash crop for this region as well as the current events of his family and village.

            After waiting for a bit, a group of three women clad in gomezes joined our sitting circle. As women passed, they were waived over. Others, including several men, cantered under the tree, as a mzungu is a rare commodity in such a rural space. So here we were- a group of 27 (including several infants) listening to a speech on maternal mortality, and the easy preventability, as well as the importance of family planning, and what that means for communities. I, of course, could not understand a word, as it was all in Luganda, the local language.  

I left feeling blessed, and somehow amazed at this meeting. It was mind boggling for a man to have put this event on. It is the norm, when it comes to birth and many other things, for men to not be involved. However, our new colleague stressed the importance of if we wanted to reduce maternal mortality, at this point in Uganda is devastatingly high, that men must also be educated and involved with family planning-as well as stressed the importance of prioritizing capital for an instance where the wife may need a transfer to a larger health center.

I am extremely grateful for having the chance to participate in these outreaches. I feel that I am learning so much about the culture, the people, and am reassured time and time again about the need for education on the topic of reproductive healthcare. I am so fortunate to participate in these meetings, and am given the ability to understand all perspectives on the topic, and how real it actually is. It is wonderful to see how excited people become afterwards, having this knowledge is incredibly empowering, and to watch women gain this power and knowledge is an experience I cannot put to words. I will say it once again (and probably 100 more times after this) I am incredibly blessed to be where I am!

I sit for a moment to reflect on the changes that have occurred in my life over the past two weeks. It is incredible how quickly the time has passed. I have been waiting for my volunteer position in Uganda for months now, and now that I am here, I am able to fully appreciate everything I have been anticipating and learning about Shanti Uganda, as well as Uganda itself. I am incredibly blessed to be working and living in such a beautiful atmosphere. I am learning more than I could even begin to express, and am truly grateful to be learning under the midwives of Shanti Uganda, all of whom have such an incredible and unique capacity for compassion wisdom. I have come here to experience the realm of midwifery, as well as maternal health care - and that is what I am truly doing. 

I attended my first birth last Thursday evening! Sadie and myself arrived at the center to meet with the Women’s Income Generating Group. I was very excited as I had been waiting all week to meet them. Sister Mary took me by the hand as soon as we greeted the staff and informed me of the mother in labor! The mother was beautiful, and my time with her is something I will never forget. The strength of motherhood never ceases to amaze me, as the power of giving birth is stronger and more extraordinary than any gift we have as humans! I was honored to have been alongside this woman, as she became a mother!

Along with antenatal appointments and community outreach, we have been quite busy here in Kasana/Nsaasi Village. I was able to participate in October’s buying day with the Women’s Income Generating Group. After handling the jewellery and admiring the bags, I am really looking forward to working with the group, as from what I have seen, they are a lively and charismatic bunch!

This week we hosted a group of approximately 12 leaders from the surrounding villages. At this meeting, we were able to walk through the grounds of Shanti Uganda and exemplify the incredible work that is being done. We later had a discussion on community outreach, and working with groups within the different areas on the subjects of community/family health and wellness. In the weeks to come, the midwives and myself will be venturing out into the villages to discuss an array of topics with the community members.

The 17^th is Safe Motherhood Day-Uganda. This year, representatives from Kampala, and all over Uganda will be coming to our district to collaborate on how to bring a safer motherhood initiative to the women as well as children of Uganda. Shanti Uganda is excitedly preparing for the meetings, as well as for a booth at the exhibition! This will be an incredible opportunity to further spread the word about Shanti Uganda, and increase the awareness about the quality of work being done in our centre.

As you can tell, our days are definitely quite full! Kasana is actively preparing for their Independence Day, which is the 9^th, as well as recovering from a visit from the Kabaka (the Bugandan King). There is never a lack of noise in air, and I try to imagine the culprits of so much commotion! However, this is next to impossible, as everything from the creaking insects to a projected prayer crave to be heard. There is a constant flow of life leaking in through the windows and crawling into my eardrums. I am excited to seek out what Uganda has to teach me, as well as participate in all that is happening at Shanti Uganda in the next couple of months! 

‘It’s a Woman’s World’

On Saturday September 10^th, the ladies from the Shanti Uganda crew, including Ssanyu, Joy, Florence, baby Honey and myself, boarded a bus carrying midwives from the US, Australia, Kenya, and elsewhere, bound for Acholi land in the far Northern region of Amuru, Uganda. Shanti Uganda had been invited to attend the first annual International Midwives’ Symposium hosted by Earth Birth in Northern Uganda. Earth Birth is a traditional birthing centre and community space situated on 20 acres of land outside of Atiak, Arumu District, near the border of South Sudan. It was founded and is run by two American midwives who work with traditional birth attendants to create a culturally competent, locally sustainable birthing centre in one of the most vulnerable districts in Uganda.

When the bus finally pulled into its destination, the sky had long since turned black and 10 hours had elapsed since we had left the modest comforts of our dusty little trading centre, Kasana, Luweero District. I could sense even Joy, Ssanyu and Florence (the only native Ugandans to make the journey) were uncertain of how to feel about the sheer remoteness of this place. Their earlier excitement as we crossed the Karuma Bridge over the fierce Nile River and their giddiness at the sight of an epic number of baboons loitering on the roads and about the roadsides had given way to fatigue and a certain wariness about what could possibly lay ahead in this far faraway place.

It was a blessed beginning to a week long celebration of motherhood, birth, peace, sisterhood, storytelling, healing, theatre, traditional wisdom, cultural exchange, and learning. Acholi TBAs, one lone Buganda TBA, Western midwives and women’s activists, and three Ugandan midwives came together for 10 days in a harmonious exchange of knowledge and friendship.

Shanti Uganda’s midwives were exposed to hands-on lessons about placenta medicines, homeopathics for childbirth, spinning babies, cord burning and physiologic closure, the making of shea butter, prenatal massage, birth rituals from around the world, epigenetics and more. Shanti’s head midwife, Sister Mary, presented on manual vacuum extraction, a topic that even the international midwives found fascinating.

In the evening everyone had the opportunity to relax with storytelling, sweat lodge, dance and music. Florence was a curious and eager participant of the dancing and through this she seemed to make friends easily. The Acholi 

It was fascinating to watch two Ugandan citizens struggle to communicate or even understand each other’s very different cultures; and yet Florence and the women became friends through dance, womanhood, and an unspoken but understood history of similar challenges, hardships, and experiences.

Despite having very little, the Acholi women gave Florence gifts of homemade brooms as a sign of their friendship. Having nothing to give in return, Florence was touched by these women who had so quickly become her friends expecting nothing but her friendship in return. Recently Florence disclosed to me that she has already begun collecting clothes from her friends and through her church, and when she gets some time off she plans to use it to make the treacherous 10 hour heart-stopping bus ride back to Atiak to repay her new friends for their kindness.

On the final day as the festival came to a close and the final ceremony in which we would all be together for the last time was concluding, there was a great outpouring of appreciation, gratitude, respect and love for one another. While I stood in the circle and thanked Earth Birth for creating this sacred space for women, I thought about the ways in which Shanti Uganda and Earth Birth are like sisters. Earth Birth the older, from whom Shanti still has much to learn. But we are bound by our common mission to bring peace and honour to birth, and by our shared belief that, “It is not that birth is painful; but that women are strong!”