One Woman's Fight for a Healthy Pregnancy in Rural Zambia
In the rural outskirts of Magoye, in Southern Province of Zambia, resides 23-year-old Esther, whose life story has been overwhelmingly transformed by the intervention of World Vision’s Survive to Thrive project.
Sitting under a big mango tree at her homestead, Esther smiles at her 7-month-old baby as she plays with him on a hand-sewn rag.
From 2018 to 2023, Esther grappled with a devastating series of miscarriages, each one leaving her shattered and puzzled. Amidst the despair, there was a prevailing sense of confusion. She, like many other women in her community, lacked access to proper antenatal care because the nearest health facility was very far from her community and also knowledge about pregnancy health. Ignorance cast a shadow over her joyous anticipation, and her pregnancies were fraught with danger.
"It felt like a cycle of despair," Esther recalls, her voice tinged with emotion. "I didn't understand why this kept happening to me."
Hoping for the best in the future, Esther’s mother would make herbal concoctions to give to her, hoping it would stop the miscarriages, but little did they both know that they were causing more harm to Esther’s health. Her ex-husband, too, was not supportive and did not allow her to have access to any health care services and made her overwork in their field.
When she experienced her third miscarriage, Esther lost hope and saw no point of living. “I was devastated, and I started having suicidal thoughts,” she says. “Every time I saw my friends with babies, I asked myself why my babies couldn’t live too.”
As if what she was going through was not enough, Esther’s husband decided to chase her from the marriage because she could not give him any children.
Esther's plight is common in regions where healthcare resources are scarce and education about prenatal care is lacking. However, in 2022, Esther relocated to another village, where she married 34-year-old Makina Mweene and fell pregnant.
Amid darkness and uncertainty, a beacon of hope emerged when community volunteers trained by World Vision's Survive To Thrive (S2T) project, through timed and targeted Counseling (ttC) and SMAG, identified Esther and started counselling her through the models.
“In the first place, I was ignorant about accessing health facilities to be provided with ante-natal services. I thought it was not as important,” she narrates. “And in my first marriage, my former husband refused me to have any health care attention.”
For Esther, the impact was immediate and profound. With newfound knowledge and support, she embarked on her pregnancy journey with renewed determination and hope. Regular check-ups, nutritional support, and guidance from healthcare experts became her pillars of strength.
"I cannot overstate the difference it made," Esther reflects, her eyes shining with gratitude. "For the first time, I felt like I had the tools to safeguard my pregnancy and the support to navigate through it."
As months passed, Esther’s pregnancy blossomed under the care of her SMAG, 47-year-old Coy, and World Vision’s S2T project. With each milestone reached, her confidence grew, and the shadows of her past struggles began to fade.
Throughout her pregnancy, her husband, Makina, was very supportive and encouraged her to go for ante-natal and monthly check-ups. “I encouraged her to go to the clinic for antenatal care, and most of the time, I went with her. And knowing that she was the mother of my unborn child, I helped her with all the household chores because I wanted her and the baby to be in good health,” says Makina
The birth of her child stands as a testament to resilience, perseverance, and the transformative power of knowledge and support for Esther.
Today, she stands as a beacon of inspiration in her community; her journey from despair to hope is an emotional reminder of the critical role of World Vision Plays in empowering communities and transforming lives.
"I want every woman to know that they don't have to suffer in silence," Esther asserts, her voice overflowing with conviction. "With the right support and knowledge, every pregnancy can be a journey of joy and hope."