I feel a great honor to be connected to, supported and mentored by an amazing group of people. One of my mentors is Ms. Maggie Bangser, the founder and former director of Women’s Dignity Project in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Maggie is also the visionary who helped to start the fistula treatment ward that is now within Bugando Medical Center in Mwanza, Tanzania, one of One By One's long-term grantees.
On my very first day in Tanzania on November 10th, I had the honor of interviewing Maggie. One of the stories, from her days at Women’s Dignity Project, was about a courageous young man named Abdallah Sadiki Aziz, a farmer from the southern area of Songea and a village secretary of his area in 2005 when this story takes place.
Abdallah’s story, below, is important for many reasons. It illustrates the obstacles women face when working to seek care during childbirth.
Additionally, I wanted to highlight this story because it shows amazing courage and resourcefulness on the part of a man on behalf of a young girl in labor and in need of emergency assistance.
During my recent trip, I met some incredible men like Abdallah in the story below – men who fight for women and their rights. I am very moved by these men, many of whom risk ridicule, community pressure and sometimes even their lives to stand up for women’s voices, health and rights. As I update this blog, I plan to introduce you to some of the great folks I met.
A special thanks to Maggie for telling Abdallah’s story to us and a thank you to Christine Matovu, the Executive Director at Women’s Dignity Project in Dar es Salaam for the permission to share this story with you all.
One Man’s Courage to Speak Out Helps Save Pregnant Women and Children
By Women’s Dignity Project – www.womensdignity.org
In March 2005 a young girl Teresia, from a small village in Songea got pregnant. She was not married and had not intended to have a baby so early in life. By the time she was nine months pregnant and ready to give birth, Teresia was only 14 years old. Because she was very young, the nurses at the ante-natal clinic had advised her to travel to Songea town to give birth at the regional hospital. But because the family did not have enough money, she was unable to do this. However, Teresia and her family did manage to save funds to pay the 30,000 Tanzanian Schillings (Tsh) ($20 USD) ambulance fuel charge to transport her to Songea Hospital.
On December 14th, the day Tanzania elected a new president, Teresia’s contractions started. Her mother went to the health center to summon the ambulance, but when she got there she was told that the cost had increased to 38,000 Tsh due to the recent rise in fuel prices. No matter how much Teresia’s family pleaded with the Clinical Officer-in Charge of the health center, he would not release the ambulance until the full 38,000 Tsh was paid. Although the lives of Teresia and her baby were clearly at risk, he did not relent. He rudely criticized the family for waiting too long to take Teresia to Songea. “It is your responsibility if she dies” he told her mother.
Teresia spent the night in labor. The following morning the family contacted Abdallah Sadiki Aziz, a neighbor and the village secretary, asking him to plead with the Clinical Officer, or to help them raise the outstanding money. Realizing the urgency of the situation, Abdallah put up his bicycle on bond and provided the remaining 8,000 Tsh ($6 USD) for the fuel. Teresia arrived at Songea Hospital that afternoon. She immediately received a caesarean section, but it was too late to save her baby. She, too, was in grave condition. She remained in the hospital for another month, and when she was brought home in January, she was extremely weak and could not walk. She died three weeks later.
The man who attempted to save the life of his neighbor and her unborn child was Abdallah Sadiki Aziz, a 38-year-old father of three. He is a farmer and the village secretary; he also gets called on to settle family disputes. When Teresia’s family called Abdallah about her situation, Abdallah pleaded with the Clinical Officer to take the pregnant girl to Songea, 80 kilometers away. “When I got to the health center and realized that the clinical officer would not give permission for the ambulance to travel, I found someone who took my bike in return for the last 8,000 Tsh.”
“I traveled to Songea with Teresia, and when she was in safe hands at the regional hospital, I asked the ambulance staff if I could travel back with them. To my surprise, the accompanying nurses asked around for other people who needed a lift, and they charged seven people 5,000 Tsh each for the transport! When I returned home to the village I went straight to the ward Councillor to complain. How can the clinic staff deny a desperate young woman transport for the sake of 8,000 Tsh and then make a 35,000 Tsh profit on the return journey?
“The Ward Councillor suggested I talk directly with the District Authorities, as he did not think they would listen to him. After hearing this, I was discouraged and I thought there is nothing I could do.”
“For two years the health center staff continued to charge everyone the enormous ambulance fuel charge, and there was nothing we could do about it. One lady in the village died in childbirth. She didn’t even try to ask for the ambulance, since she knew she could not afford it. Then one day some people from Women’s Dignity came to our village. When we discussed the health services, I stood up and told the story of Teresia. After I finished, they invited me to speak during a meeting they had planned with the District Health authorities. I told them the same story, and the District Executive Director promised to take immediate action.”
“The Clinical-Officer-in Charge at the health center was transferred a few weeks later, in September 2007. The new Clinical Officer has made sure that the ambulance is free for emergency cases involving pregnant women and small children. The villagers are happy with the change, and many have come to thank me for speaking out about the problems we had.”
A few weeks after the transfer of the Clinical Officer, Abdallah spoke at Tanzania’s first ‘Popular Tribunal on Girls and Women’s Lives’ in Dar es Salaam. He was interviewed by newspaper journalists and spoke on national radio. People across the country learned what he had done and the ways in which girls and women face threats to their lives on a daily basis.
Abdallah remains modest: “I do not want to draw too much attention to myself, but I was glad I got a chance to tell District officials about Teresia’s case. I enjoyed speaking at the Tribunal because I learned a lot about human rights, things I didn’t know before. I will use this knowledge to tell others in the village. But I don’t want people to think I am a trouble-maker, especially not the health center staff. My wife, my children and I rely on them when we are ill. However, if a similar problem happens once more, I would certainly speak out again, for the sake of women in our village.”
We at One By One are proud to learn from Women’s Dignity Project and their years of experience helping to coordinate partners in the National Fistula Program in Tanzania. Meetings like the one they held which inspired Abdallah to tell his story are crucial to helping community members witness and believe that their voices can indeed create change. Emergency access to care is a critical element of fistula prevention. And as Abdallah’s efforts for Teresia show, there are many varied obstacles to women getting proper care. From a community education and outreach standpoint, we have seen our grants with Kivulini Women’s Rights Organization create important community dialogues regarding getting pregnant women and laboring mothers to care in time. After visiting our programs and partners, it is clear to me that outreach and community education remain critical adjuncts to the technical and infrastructure related aspects of emergency obstetric care.
This post is simultaneously sad and encouraging. It is sad that Teresia had to die to get the attention of a man with enough wisdom and influence to stand up for women in his community. It is encouraging that Abdallah did stand up and try to remedy the situation. It is even more encouraging that your organization is on the ground doing this work and reporting on it. Thank you.
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