Press play to hear a young mother, her mum, and their Community Health Promoter share their stories. Child.org created these audio stories using ethical storytelling principles, basing them on the real experiences of the women, health workers, and communities we partner with in Kenya.
Lela: hopes and dreams of a young mother
“I want my baby to have a better life. I want her to grow to be a beautiful, strong, powerful woman. I have big dreams for me and my baby.”
Lela’s story reflects the determination of many young women who face pregnancy while dealing with limited access to care and social stigma. In Team Mum pregnancy support groups, pregnant adolescents get antenatal education and encouragement from their peers, and they plan for a safe delivery at a health facility.
Riziki: support across generations
I worry about the shame of her having a baby while she’s still in my home. But I know Lela is hardworking and determined, and will look after her baby.
Riziki shows the essential role that parents and family elders play in maternal health. The support a woman gets at home, and the attitudes of the people around her, shape how her pregnancy goes. When family members join community health dialogues, communities replace stigma with active support for pregnant women.
Esther: the heart of community health
“I’ve been living and working in my community for 30 years. I am Daktari wa Kijiji – the village doctor.”
In her story, Esther loses her sister during childbirth, and that loss drives her work. Many Community Health Promoters share a similar motivation. Esther’s story shows why early risk identification and timely referrals to health facilities matter. Community Health Promoters make door-to-door visits, monitor high-risk pregnancies and connect families to emergency maternal care.
The bigger picture
Across Kenya, we are working with women, community health workers and officials to make pregnancy and childbirth safer for mothers and newborns.
Through Team Mum, Child.org’s maternal health programme, more than 360 Community Health Promoters have received training and resources. Together, they have supported more than 14,000 women across Meru, Narok, Garissa and Makueni with access to critical care and information.
Why we tell these stories: our approach to ethical storytelling
Lasting health improvements need strong public health systems. They also need communications that honour the experiences of the communities we work with.
A 16-year-old’s pregnancy is easy to recognise in a small community. Telling one woman’s real story, even with her name changed, can expose her to judgement or harm. We chose a different approach.
When community health workers, families and health systems work in partnership, pregnancy and childbirth become safer for everyone. Every day, Team Mum Community Health Promoters support pregnant women across rural Kenya.
