Having had a very colourful Mama Ye! launch in Arusha in January, we are busy keeping the momentum going so that lots of Tanzanians can join us to help save our mothers and babies.At the launch, we were very lucky to engage artists, students, politicians, street vendors, as well as many random passers by, in our campaign. But, we need more – a whole lot more – involved if we are to make a meaningful impact on the maternal and newborn mortality figures. So that’s where our friendly Tanzania Media Fund (TMF) journalists come in.Having selected six fine fellows, we introduced them to the key issues about maternal and newborn health in Tanzania. We also coached them in thinking about those issues in a Mama Ye! way. We want to celebrate success stories and people taking action to save mothers and babies – that way we change people’s attitudes so that they believe that it is possible to make a difference. That they can make a difference, whether they are a taxi driver in Mwanza or a midwife in Iringa.And our TMF fellows got really busy. In just a few weeks, they had written about:Communities taking action to save the lives of mothers and newborn babiesthe Demographic and Health Surveys in Tanzania so that we really know what’s happening in our countrySome of our many heroes and heroines who are working hard for our familiesAccountabilityTheir stories reflect a shift from a story of fatalism and hopelessness in maternal survival, to that of hope, optimism and shared responsibility. A position which I hope you find inspiring.The journalists are now back in their newsrooms. Their work from the Mara, and elsewhere in Tanzania, have featured in popular blogs, including the renowned Jamii Forums, as well as the mainstream media. Well done our Mama Ye! fellows.Follow the links below to get an insight of the maternal and newborn health situation in Mara, from our fellows’ articles. But more can be found on the TMF blogs page on Jamii Forumshttp://www.jamiiforums.com/blog/lack-of-laboratory-at-dakawa-dispensary-force-pregnant-women-to-do-test-at-private-health-center/http://www.jamiiforums.com/blog/bugarama-village-pregnant-women-deliver-without-knowing-their-hiv-status/http://www.jamiiforums.com/blog/serikali-inajali-thamani-ya-fedha-kuliko-damu-salama/http://www.jamiiforums.com/blog/bagamoyo-matumizi-ya-kondom-bado-ni-kitendawili/http://www.jamiiforums.com/blog/pregnant-women-in-dakawa-village-go-with-delivery-tools-during-birth-giving/http://www.jamiiforums.com/blog/uchakavu-wa-majengo-kero-kwa-wahudumu-wa-afya-rufiji/http://www.jamiiforums.com/blog/dakawa-medical-attendants-fail-to-attend-night-roster/http://www.jamiiforums.com/blog/dakawa-dispensary-lacks-hiv-blood-test-kit/http://www.jamiiforums.com/blog/wahudumu-wa-afya-ya-msingi-wailalamikia-halmashauri-ya-bunda/But more can be found on the TMF blogs page on Jamii Forums through this link.
Having had a very colourful Mama Ye! launch in Arusha in January, we are busy keeping the momentum going so that lots of Tanzanians can join us to help save our mothers and babies.At the launch, we were very lucky to engage artists, students, politicians, street vendors, as well as many random passers by, in our campaign. But, we need more – a whole lot more – involved if we are to make a meaningful impact on the maternal and newborn mortality figures. So that’s where our friendly Tanzania Media Fund (TMF) journalists come in.Having selected six fine fellows, we introduced them to the key issues about maternal and newborn health in Tanzania. We also coached them in thinking about those issues in a Mama Ye! way. We want to celebrate success stories and people taking action to save mothers and babies – that way we change people’s attitudes so that they believe that it is possible to make a difference. That they can make a difference, whether they are a taxi driver in Mwanza or a midwife in Iringa.And our TMF fellows got really busy. In just a few weeks, they had written about:
- Communities taking action to save the lives of mothers and newborn babies
- the Demographic and Health Surveys in Tanzania so that we really know what’s happening in our country
- Some of our many heroes and heroines who are working hard for our families
- Accountability