It was midnight after a drive from Dodoma. I should have been sleeping as we were actually waking up at daybreak to continue with our drive to Dar es Salaam.
It was midnight after a drive from Dodoma. I should have been sleeping as we were actually waking up at daybreak to continue with our drive to Dar es Salaam. Fatigue temporarily forgotten as the excitement of our achievement earlier that day refused to fade away. In a small motel room in Morogoro I decided to do justice to this memorable event that will go in records as a great milestone in advocacy for safe motherhood in Tanzania. I started writing this blog.As member of the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood Tanzania (WRATZ) Mama Ye! has been part of its campaign “Be Accountable so Mama can Live” since its inception, early 2013” I had only been with Mama Ye! for a few weeks and I was sent off to participate in as special workshop to plan WRATZ campaign for the next three years.I remember vividly our engaging sessions with WRATZ members such as Jhpiego, Engenderhealth, World Vision and a number of WRA focal persons from across Tanzania. Among these members Mama Ye! was just a 'newborn' then, launched in January 2013.We went through a long logical and evidence-based process of developing the campaign asking ourselves many questions including: How many mothers and babies die in Tanzania each year? Where are most of these losses occur? What causes these deaths? What can be done to save them, who can take action to ensure lives are saved?It was concluded that many of the 24 mothers we lose each day in the country could be saved if life-saving services during delivery were accessible to them. In Rukwa Region many travel long distances to access the services and most are discouraged by the journeys and opt to deliver at home hence endangering their health and of their babies. According to Tanzania Demographic Health Survey (TDHS) 2010 only 29.3% of pregnant women in Rukwa give birth in health facilities, the lowest rate in the country. So automatically it was decided the campaign would focus in Rukwa but sending messages across the country so that others could learn and take action as well.We reached a point of giving our campaign a name, a catchy phrase or a slogan as you may wish to call it. We had many phrases written on yellow stick-on papers splashed on one wall. We voted and reasoned and went back to them over and over until we chose one—my humble suggestion of “Wajibika Mama Aishi” which simply translate to “be accountable so Mothers can live” was eventually picked. But at that point I did not really foresee how big this campaign was going to be.As days went on I appreciated the planning of the campaign grid led by WRA international, and following implementation of important milestones such as meetings with civil servants from key ministries, then key meetings with parliamentarians, ministers, local government officials, CSOs etcThen there was the petition signing exercise consolidating support of people from all walks of life. that we took from parliamentarians to District Commissioners--especially in Rukwa during the events leading to the White Ribbon Day, where thousands of wananchi’s signatures were later presented to the Prime Minister at the White Ribbon Day, March 15, 2014.All those really exciting events were actually building up to the real icing on the cake. Getting Wajibika Mama Aishi to the Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania, and during budget sessions too—It happened a few hours earlier.At a really busy time for the MPs, we managed to get over 80 signatures! I cannot mention all the names of MPs I was really happy to see at Pius Msekwa Hall that day. MPs who spared their time to come and hear our message and join the campaign. But I feel compelled to acknowledge the presence of Deputy Speaker Hon J. Ndugai, Deputy Minister, Vice President's Office Hon Ummy Mwalimu, Hon George Mkuchika, Hon Peter Msolla, Hon Ismail Rage, Hon Augustine Mrema, Hon Margreth Sitta….. the list is long. My humble appreciation for their show of respect and dedication to the lives of our mothers and babies.Now I can only see the campaign gaining momentum going forward. More key people to be involved from ministry level all the way to ordinary villagers across the region of our beautiful country through various ways including the media in Tanzania. And Mama Ye! is ready to add value, as always, urging you to TAKE ACTION for our Mothers and Babies.