At just 18, Neema faced her pregnancy with almost nothing – not even a home. But she held on to one thing: the hope of a safe, stable life for her daughter.
Neema is 18 years old and from Arusha, Tanzania. She first came to Kivulini Maternity Centre, our supported hospital in Tanzania, for antenatal care.
During her visits, staff noticed she often seemed sad and worn down. Rather than let that go unnoticed, they took the time to sit with her and ask what was going on – and what they learned was just how much she was carrying.
Neema’s mother had passed away, and soon after she lost the rented home they’d shared, unable to keep up the payments. Looking for comfort during a difficult time, she became involved with a man who left her once she was pregnant. A friend took her in, but even that home was stretched thin – the friend had her own child to support and only a small business that barely covered the basics. Relatives in the household didn’t treat Neema well. Some days, Neema walked long distances to and from her antenatal check-ups, simply because she couldn’t afford the bus fare both ways.
Through it all, what Neema wanted most was simple: somewhere safe to raise her daughter.
Eventually, her friend found a way to rent Neema a small room of her own, though Neema still relied on her for food. When Neema gave birth to her baby girl, she had nothing prepared – no clothes, no supplies for the baby. The team at Kivulini were able to provide Neema with a social pack of baby clothes and essentials to help her through those first days. Her friend, true to form, never stopped showing up either, visiting her in hospital throughout her stay.
Care like this doesn’t end at discharge. After Neema left hospital, the team visited her at home to see how she and her baby were settling in. What they found was confronting: water had to be carried from far away, and the room itself wasn’t a safe place for a newborn, with only a small, worn mattress on the floor and a single cooking stove that her friend used to prepare food for her.
Rather than walk away once the medical care was done, the team connected Neema with a local Christian centre supporting new mothers with babies, who have continued to provide support for Neema and her daughter.
Neema’s story shows what compassion, respect and integrity look like in practice. She wasn’t just another patient, she was treated with the type of individual care you’d want for your mother, sister or daughter.
Noela (Rotary Brisbane High Rise) and Dr Doreen, with donations of locally bought supplies for newborn care packs
Thanks to your support, Kivulini Maternity Centre was able to walk alongside Neema through her pregnancy, her delivery, and the uncertain days that followed, ensuring she and her baby girl didn’t have to face it alone.
Providing one safe birth is just the beginning.
Every day there are women coming to our supported hospitals needing compassionate care. Becoming a regular giver means your support is there for the next mother who walks through the doors.