In a rural area of Ethiopia’s Sidama region, women travel from local villages to receive expert pre- and postnatal care at a health centre headed by Belen Kakabo, the second midwife to be sponsored by GreenLamp. In one particular village the centre is so renowned that home births are virtually obsolete. Expectant mothers in the village choose instead to deliver their babies under Belen’s professional care. Elu and Ayu are two such expectant mothers who plan to deliver their babies at the centre. Elu (pictured above) is confident that she is in good hands, she no longer worries about some of the same potential emergencies she could face in a home delivery. With the help of the midwives, Elu is empowered to avoid tragedy.

Ayu is photographed sitting on a bench (far right) at the centre with fellow mothers, who have each travelled to the centre to receive prenatal care. Although two of her children were delivered at home, Ayu now intends to deliver her next child at the centre. She trusts Belen and her colleagues highly, and places great importance in receiving professional healthcare during both labour and pregnancy.

Elu and Ayu are not certainly not alone in their trust for the centre. Through the dedicated work of its midwives, the centre has cultivated a supportive community of women in which reassurance and well-being is esteemed above all. For mothers like Elu and Ayu, the compassionate care they receive at the centre is invaluable.