Every beginning of life deserves to be healthy, happy, and beautiful

OUR ‘UZAZI BORA PAMOJA’ GROUP CARE MODEL

Through self-assessments, peer-to-peer support, high-quality clinical services, and facilitated learning throughout pregnancy and the postnatal period, our mamas and babies are holistically transforming their health and wellbeing during the critical first 1000 days after conception.

MULTI-PRONGED SOLUTION, ONE GOAL

At WAJAMAMA, we collaborate closely with program participants to build capacity and support their reproductive health journeys, ensuring holistic care at every stage of life.

Through our Community Clinical Facilitator (CCF) Fellowships, we provide government-employed Reproductive, Maternal, and Child healthcare providers with ongoing training, mentorship, supervision, monitoring, and evaluation. By leveraging digital tools and simulation-based learning for quality assurance, we equip these providers to adopt and deliver our evidence-based Group Care Model (GCM) at public Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) clinics in the villages they serve.

During the GCM pilot phase, we implemented the model at public facilities in the Southern District of Unguja Island, refining it for broader integration across Zanzibar.

Through our GCM, mamas and babies benefit from:

  • Comprehensive, high-quality prenatal, postnatal, and newborn healthcare

  • Mental health awareness and support

  • Menstrual health and hygiene information

  • Breastfeeding and family planning guidance

  • Cervical and breast cancer awareness

  • Early childhood development checks

  • Nutrition and holistic well-being support

We ensure the GCM program is accessible, inclusive, and equitable for women of all abilities, socioeconomic statuses, backgrounds and ages. Recognizing that health education shouldn't begin at pregnancy, our Well-Girl program focuses on equipping adolescent girls with essential knowledge about menstrual health, hygiene, and well-being. This early intervention not only sets a foundation for lifelong health but also reinforces our commitment to building equitable healthcare systems for all.

FINDINGS TO DATE AND KEY INDICATORS

  • Decreased Maternal Anemia

    We have seen a 100% decrease in severe maternal anemia among our GCM participants. Maternal anemia is associated with stillbirths, preterm births, intrauterine growth restriction, and postpartum hemorrhage. We operate under the understanding that combating maternal anemia therefore has the potential to not only save lives, but also ensure healthy and beautiful beginnings for all, which is why it is one of our key indicators.

    96% of our GCM mamas attended the recommended 8 or more prenatal visits. We have also seen a 90% adherence to medical recommendations among our participants. These factors may have contributed to our successes in reducing maternal anemia.

  • Improved Mental Health & Support

    Group Care participants have expressed feeling more mentally and socially supported during pregnancy, better prepared for labor and birth, and more empowered and knowledgeable about their bodies, health, and wellbeing.

    Community building, peer-to-peer support, and facilitated learning, which are all integral parts of our GCM, have been linked to better perinatal mental health outcomes. Because of this, mental health awareness, support, and screening are a priority area for WAJAMAMA and as we expand our GCM throughout the postnatal period, Postpartum Depression will therefore be one of our key progress indicators.

  • Reduced Preterm Births

    Another key indicator we closely monitor is the incidence of preterm births. Babies “born too soon” are significantly more likely to encounter health and wellbeing complications, as well as challenges in their livelihoods later in life, compared to those born at full term.

    In our initial analysis of the GCM outcomes, we observed a statistically significant decrease in preterm births. Only 1.8% of our mamas gave birth before 37 weeks, compared to the national average of 11%. These successes may be linked to the 90% adherence to medical recommendations as well as close monitoring and essential screenings throughout pregnancy.

WAJAMAMA Theory Of Change

Vision: A world where every woman is the healthiest version of herself—physically, mentally, and socially—and the beginning of each life is as healthy and beautiful as possible. 

  • Meet Zubeda

    Zubeda enrolled in Group Prenatal Care (GPC) program at 20 weeks gestation. Her previous pregnancy was marked by post partum hemorrhage (PPH) and the tragic death of her newborn just days after birth. Upon evaluation at her initial GPC visit, Zubeda’s blood pressure was elevated, her hemoglobin level was severely low and she had a urinary tract infection, increasing her risk for pre-eclampsia, PPH, intrauterine growth restriction, and preterm birth.

    Zubeda engaged in 8 GPC sessions, where she gained invaluable knowledge on how to maintain a healthy pregnancy and joined an emotionally supportive community. By the time she was full-term, Zubeda’s blood pressure normalized and her hemoglobin level was even higher than average, reducing her risk for potentially fatal complications. She felt empowered and prepared for labor and birth.

    On May 22nd, Zubeda had a beautiful and healthy baby girl, Karima, who now attends our clinic for well-baby check ups. Zubeda is thriving as a new mother and Karima continues to happily meet her growth and developmental milestones.

WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED.

Since our inception in 2021, we have built a strong community and momentum for change.

  • 4000+

    Women and girls participated in our disease prevention and health promotion campaigns and services. These initiatives were provided through our Well-Woman program, which is now integrated into our Group Care Model, and our Well-Girl program, through direct implementation funded by partners in the hospitality industry and other NGOs. Moving forward, we will train teachers, Community Health Workers, and other community members, including our Group Care mamas and youth ambassadors, to deliver our Well-Girl program. This will allow us to concentrate on refining, developing, and eventually scaling our Group Care Model.

  • 1500+

    Healthcare students and faculty now have access to Zanzibar’s first high-fidelity medical simulation center, which was established by WAJAMAMA in collaboration with Laerdal Global Health and Ariadne Labs. We have also been facilitating bidirectional partnerships and educational exchanges between the State University of Zanzibar and institutions such as Georgetown University, the University of Global Health Equity, Boston’s Children’s Hospital, and Harvard University. Furthermore, we are establishing a network of simulation training experts across the archipelago in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.

  • 600+

    Women from economically-marginalized communities benefitted from our GCM throughout their pregnancy; this is equivalent to approximately 4000+ high-quality prenatal visits. Each year, approximately 70,000 women in Zanzibar become pregnant. By 2027, we aim to serve 19,000+ of these women annually by introducing and standardizing the Group Care Model within government-run Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) clinics.

  • 100%

    Of our GCM mamas gave birth in health facilities. The current national average of institutional births in Zanzibar is 79%, with a target of 81% of births to occur in facilities. While home births and out of hospitals births may be the norm and/or are encouraged in other parts of the world, the Zanzibar infrastructure cannot safely support home births at this time. Therefore mamas giving birth at home in Zanzibar may be at an increased risk for complications.

  • 487

    Teachers participated in our Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management (MHHM) training sessions, an initiative supported by UNICEF and the Ministry of Education. The aim was to equip these educators with a comprehensive understanding of MHHM, enabling them to help eliminate the stigma surrounding menstruation within their schools and communities.

  • 1

    Once dilapidated public Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) clinic was refurbished and renovated to ensure that women and children are getting quality healthcare services in a beautiful, well-lit, and healing environment. The clinic was also equipped with solar panels, ensuring that vaccines are kept cold, fans operate efficiently, and essential equipment, such as gynecological lamps, remain functional at all times.

Annual Progress Report

“When we as a society begin to value mothers as the givers and supporters of life, then we will see social change in ways that matter"

— Ina May Gaskin