Amina's Story: A Safe Birth in Rural Kano

Amina Ibrahim was 28 years old and pregnant with her third child when she first heard about CARE AFRICA from her community health extension worker in Kano.

Before registering on the platform, Amina had been managing her pregnancy alone. The nearest clinic was 40 kilometres away — a journey that cost more than her family earned in a day. Her previous two pregnancies had been managed entirely at home, with the help of a traditional birth attendant.

'I did not know when my baby was coming,' she told our field correspondent. 'I did not know if something was wrong. I just waited and prayed.'

After registering on the CARE AFRICA Maternity Portal, Amina was matched with a midwife who visited her at home every two weeks. When Amina reported a severe headache and swollen hands in her 34th week, a danger sign alert was triggered automatically. Her midwife responded within hours and arranged an emergency referral to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.

Amina delivered a healthy baby girl. She named her Aminat — after herself — and after the platform that gave them both a fighting chance.

'For the first time, I knew exactly when my baby was due. The midwife visited me every two weeks. When something went wrong, someone came. I am not alone anymore.' — Amina Ibrahim, Kano State, May 2024.