Midwives in Ethiopia

The midwives tell of a daily life with very simple conditions. Many work completely alone during births and often lack both electricity and water. When water is lacking, they collect rainwater to wash their hands, and during births at night, they work alone with only a mobile phone or a headlamp as a light source. If the midwife needs to transfer a woman to hospital, it can take several hours before transport is available, and the journey itself can take additional hours as the roads are muddy and broken. For some of them, the security situation is also a constant challenge as their workplaces are located in conflict-affected areas where gunfire can occur in the background.

Yet the midwives are there every day to save lives. They stand by the mothers during childbirth, the most vulnerable and crucial moment in life, but they themselves lack something as basic as work clothes and a good working environment.

A midwife is helping a new mother with breastfeeding