When Asha felt dizzy and weak during her pregnancy, she assumed it was normal. Living in the Mudug IDP camp on the outskirts of Baidoa, weakness had become part of daily life. Access to food was uncertain, money for transport was scarce, and health facilities often felt out of reach. Like many displaced women, Asha worried more about survival than about seeking medical care.
It was during a routine outreach visit by community health workers from Waberi Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Center that Asha learned something was wrong. Encouraged to visit the facility, she hesitated. Transport costs alone were a burden her family could not afford. But through the Emergency Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) program, supported by UNFPA and funded by KOICA, Asha was able to access care without worrying about the cost.
At Waberi MCH, health workers diagnosed her with severe anemia. “I was always tired and could barely stand for long,” she recalled. “I didn’t know it could put my baby and me in danger.” She received iron supplements, nutritional counseling, and regular antenatal checkups. Just as importantly, she was treated with dignity and compassion.
“I felt safe for the first time during my pregnancy,” Asha said. “The staff explained everything to me. They listened.”
Waberi MCH serves women like Asha every day, mothers displaced by conflict, living in fragile conditions, and facing high risks during pregnancy and childbirth. In a region where maternal mortality remains alarmingly high, the facility has become a lifeline. Between July and October 2025 alone, Waberi MCH recorded more than 1,100 antenatal care visits and supported 70 safe deliveries, with zero maternal deaths.
When Asha went into labor, complications arose. Thanks to the referral system established between Waberi MCH and Bushra Referral Hospital, just seven kilometers away, she was transferred quickly and safely. The coordination between the two facilities ensured she received timely emergency obstetric care.
“I was afraid,” she admitted, “but they stayed with me the whole time. I knew I wasn’t alone.”
Asha delivered a healthy baby girl.
Her story reflects a broader transformation underway at Waberi MCH. Once operating in unsafe and deteriorating conditions, the facility has been rehabilitated by Terre Solidali with UNFPA support. Cracked floors were repaired, solar power installed, handwashing stations constructed, and essential BEMONC drugs and family planning supplies delivered. These improvements have strengthened infection prevention, ensured uninterrupted services, and restored dignity to care.
Beyond medical treatment, Waberi MCH is also a space for learning and empowerment. Community engagement sessions regularly draw large crowds, with over 150 participants during the recent mission, where women and families learn about the importance of skilled birth attendance, antenatal care, and postnatal follow-up.
For Asha, the impact goes beyond one safe birth.
“Now I tell other women to go early for checkups,” she said, gently holding her newborn. “This place saved my life and my child’s life.”
As the CVA program approaches its conclusion, women like Asha are calling for its continuation. Their voices echo a clear message: when access, trust, and quality care come together, even in the most challenging settings, lives are saved and hope is restored.
