It is the rainy season in Ghana right now. From May through July the rains come down, sometimes in downpours for a few minutes at a time and some days it is non-stop. Today was a non-stop kind of day.
It was also day four of teaching. The 37 Kekeli women are learning a new curriculum called Home Based Life Saving Skills. They are learning how to prepare women for safe pregnancies and safe births. They are also learning what to do to help a woman who has trouble during or after birth. It is a participatory curriculum which means the women are engaged in their own learning.
It also means that as part of asking for and learning about their experiences, we hear many stories of sadness and loss. Every woman has a story, or many, from their village when something has gone wrong in pregnancy and and the outcome was poor.
Our hope is that through this curriculum we can prevent some of these outcomes–even just one would save a child, a mother, or both.
Thank you all for helping make this trip and this education possible. This comes in many forms; words of encouragement, financial support, and the good vibes you send when following us on Facebook or Instagram (@ruralhealthcollaborative). We appreciate your support. The women of Akatsi and the people of Ghana thank you too.
We have a motto we recite with the Kekeli women. “Healthy people, health nation.” This is just what we hope to see.
