Well trained nurses help provide the kind of care every new mother deserves while improving access to high quality and safe deliveries.

Why we care: In the urban areas of Nairobi, women lack access to respectful care from high-quality health workers.

How we’re solving this: By hiring smart and caring nurses and providing training for them on emergency skills, management skills, and patient education and respect.

Jacaranda Health is aiming to change the way that maternity care is provided in East Africa, by creating a friendly, high-quality, affordable maternity care for women in peri-urban areas.

In Nairobi, more than 2 million people live in low-income peri-urban areas, where health conditions and availability of medical services is poor. Many women have had negative experiences with maternity hospitals, ranging from cramped and crowded facilities, to rushed and harried staff who treat women like numbers. For this reason, women are hesitant to deliver in a facility, even though it is safer.

Jacaranda’s expectant mothers are hardworking urban women who are often the primary breadwinner for their family. They work in the informal sector—as domestic help, vegetable sellers, or shop-owners—or in light industry. They desire and deserve access to high quality, friendly, affordable health care from good providers.

Nurse-midwives, nurse aides and community health workers play an important role in ensuring healthy moms and babies. Well trained nurses can handle most of the complications that arise during childbirth. Nurse aides can be trained to assist in deliveries, educate and attend patients.

With your help, we can staff a new labor ward with high quality nurses and nurse aides who will provide the kind of care every new mother deserves.