Why our team is going to Canada and Kenya

Updates from the field

Last month, we finalized a partnership with ELMA Philanthropies, the largest African foundation dedicated to the health of women and children. Their generous support will enable us to expand our BAMA Maternal and Newborn Health Program to four additional districts in the Masaka region. This expansion marks a major step forward in our mission to enhance maternal and child health services.

We are also deeply grateful to the Sall Family Foundation for their generous grant of $75,000. This funding will play a crucial role in strengthening our efforts to scale the BAMA Program in the Masaka region.

In addition, thanks to ENABEL, the Belgian Development Agency, our innovative Mama Rescue Project is making strides as we introduce it to two new districts, Kabarole and Kasese. This project connects women in labor with local taxis, ensuring safe transport from home to health centers, and from health centers to hospitals in case of emergencies. In this second phase, we are piloting a new model that engages Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) to support savings for health, integrate a cost-sharing approach, and build sustainability. We are currently conducting a Needs Assessment across nine districts in the Masaka region to identify the health centers most in need of Mama Rescue’s emergency transport services.

Our work is getting noticed

We are proud to share that two of our inspiring staff members, Michael Lwetabe and Sandra Najuuko, have been invited to present their research at prestigious international conferences. Michael will be presenting on "Factors Associated with Suicidal Ideation in Adolescent Mothers" in Ottawa, Canada, while Sandra will discuss the "Positive Impacts of Male Engagement on Adolescent Maternal Mental Health" in Nairobi, Kenya. Their work highlights the importance of mental health support in maternal care, and we are excited to see them share these insights with the global community.
Congratulations to Michael, Sandra, and all team members who have been involved in the process!

Additionally, we are pleased to announce that an article co-authored by BAMA co-founders, Drs. Marc Sklar and Daniel Murokora, has been published in the journal Frontiers of Public Health. This publication further underscores our commitment to advancing public health knowledge and practices.

Follow our EDs on a trip down memory lane

It’s our 20th anniversary. Marc and Dan sat down to take you on a journey and share their experiences. What was their goal when they started BAMA 20 years ago? What has been the biggest challenge? And what keeps them going? Find the answers in this video.