Chaltu's Story

Chaltu is a 24-year-old woman living in the Goro Woreda, Ethiopia. She suffered the distress of losing her baby boy in childbirth at home. Thanks to the women’s health groups, when it came to her next pregnancy, she had a safe delivery at her nearest health centre. She also received important information to help her and her family.

Chaltu says, “I had lost my baby boy immediately after birth at home. I bled a lot.” She had no trained medical support on hand to help her at this traumatic time.

Chaltu continues, “Through participating in the women’s health group meetings I started to know about complications that may arise during and following pregnancy.

“I have been following my antenatal care visits regularly and managed to attend four antenatal care visits to the health centre.

“I gave birth to my baby boy at the health centre without any problems and with the assistance of the midwife. I also received postnatal care service by the midwives. I am very happy for the services that I have received.

Thanks to the work of the women’s health groups in the Goro Woreda, Ethiopia, there’s been a 13% increase in deliveries by a skilled birth attendant at a health centre. There’s also been a 14% increase in women receiving postnatal care 48 hours after the birth of their babies.

The women’s health groups also helped Chaltu learn more about how to plan and prepare for pregnancy, and ensure her house was safe for her family.

“During my pregnancy I prepared food, cloths for the newborn, bednets and my finances. My husband also supported me during my pregnancy by taking care of the children at home and encouraged me to go for antenatal care.

“The women’s health group meetings which I have been participating in helped me a lot to know about personal hygiene, housing and sanitation, and maternal and newborn health problems. Previously I had little understanding about these issues, and I did not consider it important. Now I’ve got a clear understanding about it. I am practicing what I have gained.

“I am now protecting my health and the health of my family. I believe it is very important to continue these meetings, so that I will better protect my family’s health.”

£25 could go towards providing the world’s most remote and rural communities like Chaltu’s with manuals to help women’s groups through pregnancy and childbirth.