Meet Josephine, a 37-year-old mother from the fishing village of Lwabaswa, Kalangala district, Uganda. In her own words, she shares the challenges of childbirth on a remote island and the lifesaving support provided by CHW Judith.

“I have lived in Lwabaswa fishing village, Kalangala district, for over ten years. My family of five depends on subsistence farming and fishing. We make just enough to cater for our three children. Each time I had to give birth, I left the island for the nearest health facility, which is one hour away on a motorboat.

There is no health center in this village. The closest person we have to a doctor is community health worker (CHW) Judith. We have boat taxis that work on a strict schedule and the rest are for hire. When I was six months pregnant with my last child, I developed a sharp pain in my abdomen. I contacted CHW Judith for help since she had been advising me to get antenatal care.

She assessed me and quickly referred me to a health facility because she could not handle my case. She saved my baby. Judith is a committed CHW. She braves the sun, rocky terrain, long distances and cold days to care for our children. Before Judith started working in our community, raising a child here was a big risk.

Many children died of malaria and diarrhea. Rainwater pools in the unused boats, where mosquitoes breed. Diarrhea is common because we have issues with our water supply. CHW Judith visits us weekly to remind us to sleep under medicated mosquito nets and to boil our drinking water. She ensures our children are fully immunized, offers family planning services and looks out for pregnant women through our women’s group meetings.