Saina Saiton, a 70-year-old Traditional Birth Attendant (TBA) from Risa village in Kajiado County, has been supporting mothers in her community for over two decades. A mother of ten herself, Saina has safely delivered more than 100 babies in her village over the last 24 years.
Living deep within a Maasai community located inside a national park, access to health facilities was a major challenge. The nearest equipped hospital with maternity services was over 20 kilometers away—an impossible distance for many pregnant women, especially during emergencies or nighttime labor. The health facility closer to the village lacked maternity services, and with no transport or proper medical equipment like gloves, home deliveries were often risky and life-threatening.
Everything changed when Dandelion Africa established a medical center in Risa with a maternity wing in 2023. Women in the community had access to skilled, respectful, and safe maternity care close to home for the first time.
Recognizing the vital role TBAs like Saina played, Dandelion Africa chose to work with them. Through regular sensitization and training sessions, Saina and other TBAs learned the importance of skilled delivery. Today, Saina no longer delivers babies at home. Instead, she accompanies expectant mothers to the health facility, stays with them through labor, and ensures they return home safely after delivery.
Thanks to the collaboration between TBAs and Dandelion Africa, home deliveries in Risa have significantly reduced, and maternal deaths have gone down. Saina has now become a vocal advocate for maternal health and skilled birth attendance in her community.
As we celebrate Midwives Week 2025, we honor Ngamunu Lebos and the many traditional birth attendants who have embraced change, stood by women in their most vulnerable moments, and helped save lives