In Uganda, single mothers are a common occurrence, this due to several reasons including; mothers abandoned by their spouses after conception or delivery, rape, defilement, forced marriages usually of underage girls among others. These result in girls or women becoming pregnant at inappropriate ages or in unhealthy conditions, which significantly contributes to the prevalence of preemies in Uganda . The statistics show that there are more than twenty thousand preterm infants every year, and the complication directly leads to 31% of newborn deaths in the region, many of them who survive still face lifelong health challenges including disabilities.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Uganda ranks 13th out of 184 countries in the number of premature births and 11th in the number of deaths from complications of premature infants. In a society where babies and women suffer, a non-profit organization saved them.
Founder of Mama Tulia, Isabelle Furaha, shared with 《The Icons》 her stories and what she does for mothers of preterm babies and babies born preterm as she strives to give them hope.
Isabelle; “Mama Tulia means: Mother, take heart!”
When Isabelle was examined in the hospital in 2014, the doctor told her that because of the Preeclampsia, Isabelle would have to deliver the child at only 26 weeks, otherwise she and the unborn child would be in danger. After the operation, Isabelle survived the catastrophe, but the child didn’t last a day.
The second birth took place in 2016. Isabelle experienced the contractions at 8 months. After going to the doctor, she yet again learnt that she needed an emergency delivery.. The shadow of 2014 came over her, if Isabelle refused to give birth then none of them would survive. She had no choice but to give birth to her daughter at 33 weeks. Although the operation was successful and the child was born safely, at that moment, all the blessings made Isabelle recall the poor child who didn’t survive. When she saw her daughter, who was only the size of a palm, she felt sad and worried the child could die at any time.
Preemies can survive, mothers must be brave
Isabelle mentioned in the interview that many mothers were devastated when they knew that their children had to be born early. A life was about to die even before it was born. Isabelle found that there were many mothers in the hospital like her before she left, women holding the dead bodies of their children, crying for innocent life, and regretting their choices.
“I decided to establish an organization to support mothers! Especially the vulnerable mothers, teenage mothers, mothers from poverty, and victims of sexual violence.”
Many mothers give up hopes when they learn their children are preterm infants. Isabelle indicated that Mama Tulia can help these parents to understand preemies, including how to avoid complications of preterm infants or how to raise them, and even how to avoid premature birth. In this way, mothers don’t have to give up on their child when they learn they’re preemies.
“In this society, many children and mothers are vulnerable, so we provide assistance to them, so that more mothers can give birth to healthy babies, and more preterm infants can survive in this world.”
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