JOY CHIOMA IS TACKLING MATERNAL AND INFANT MORTALITY IN NIGERIA WITH HER SOCIAL ENTERPRISE NATAL CARES

 

In Nigeria, hundreds of women and children under the age of 5 die daily, making the country one of the most significant contributors to maternal and child mortality globally, says UNICEF.

So many factors caused this: lack of access to healthcare facilities, poor health practices, use of unclean materials, among others. These can be as a result of poverty, effects of terrorism, etc.

Joy Chioma is the Co-Founder of Natal Cares, a social enterprise with a mission to reduce maternal and infant mortality from complications of pregnancy or delivery. The organisation specifically focus on pregnant women and nursing mothers in IDP Camps (internally Displaced Persons) and Rural disconnected communities in Nigeria.
Joy is a graduate of the Federal University of Technology Akure and also a YALI alumnus. Having carried out her National Youth Service (NYSC) in a rural community in Adamawa State, Nigeria, she had first-hand experience of what pregnant women and nursing mothers face during and after pregnancy. Since then, she has developed an undying passion for using the power of mobile technology and low-cost innovations in bridging the healthcare gap between under-served rural communities and the Urban Communities of Nigeria.

Natal Cares achieves its mission by providing pregnant women and nursing mothers with regular medically approved health information. This achieved through SMS and, alternatively, voice call services on pregnancy, motherhood, safe delivery and healthy baby lifestyle to improve maternal and infant health.

The messages include pregnancy follow up, clinic reminders, child growth and nutrition, breastfeeding, immunisation reminders, parenting tips, common symptoms, child health care tips, nutrition guides, family planning tips and more.

The platform also has a Natal Care Kit which contains essential supplies required at childbirth to ensure a clean, safe and hygienic delivery to help mothers and newborns avoid acquiring infections during childbirth, especially in underserved rural communities.

Natal Cares also carries out health care capacity buildings and sensitisation programs in IDP Camps and disconnected rural communities. It also trains traditional birth attendants and local midwives on the latest delivery methods and technique and advocates for better healthcare at primary health centres.

My UNCTAD'14 Memoir

The recent United Nations Conference on Trade and Development held in Nairobi, Kenya, was a first time opportunity for me to attend a High Level United Nations event aside Model United Nations which I have been accustomed to attending a foretime. Held in quadrennials since its founding in 1964 in Geneva Switzerland, the 2016 edition was the 14th edition of the conference, and the second of its kind to be held in Nairobi Kenya from 17th to 22nd July 2016, under the caption ‘From Decision to Actions’.

My journey to Nairobi was afforded by sheer benevolence of friends and colleagues, as a tight personal budget sinisterly constrained by the dire down spiral of Nigeria’s economic situation almost strangled my desire to attend the conference. However, with a timely intervention by Dr. John Alonge, who linked me with Chambers Umezulike offerring to host my proposed stay at Nairobi, and an intersection of favourable climes in my work place at the time of the conference, catalysed my efforts to attend the conference.

Captioned from Decisions to Actions, the Conference was held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Nairobi. Preconference events of Regional Group Meetings, Workshops sessions of the World Investment Forum and activities at the Global Commodities Forum and Civil Society Forum on 15th-17th July, signalled the prelude to the main conference. Arriving Nairobi in the wee hours of 16th July, I was welcomed by a legendary courteous diplomatic treat, such as afforded to UNCTAD’14 delegates at the Immigration point. Fearing to venture into town at that time of the morning, I was provided security assurance by some Kenyan Policewomen on duty at the airport. One of them offered to help dial my host to inform him of my arrival.

My stay at Nairobi afforded me the opportunity of hooking up with some Zain Africa Challenge colleagues. As such, Barrister Charles Mwalimu aided this by picking me at the airport to the reunion spot at Mlolongo. As much as I thought I’d prepared for the conference, I was besmirched by the Nairobi weather which was damn too cold for me at 11 -15 degrees Celsius.

Reunion Photo with Some Kenyan Zain Africa Challenge 2009 Colleagues
From left: Albert Gicheha (Kenyatta University), Me at the centre and Barrister Charles Mwalimu (Busoga University) at the right

The conference itself was an agglomeration of several side events such as The Youth Forum, Civil society Forum, World Investment Forum; held in concomitant tandem with the main track of Ministerial Round tables and Negotiations of stakeholders of member Nations. At the opening plenary, the Nigerian delegation was led by The CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mr Olusegun Awolowo, and subsequently, the Minister for Trade and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelama was present to front the Nigerian course at subsequent ministerial forums at the conference.

With the Nigerian Delegation at the Opening Plenary Session led by Mr Olusegun Awolowo (Left)

The opening plenary session had the following dignitaries in attendance: UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon; Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta; Ugandan Vice President, Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi; Kenyan Cabinet, Secretary for Foreign Affairs Amina Muhammed, UNCTAD’14 Secretary General, Mukhisa Kituyi among other important dignitaries.

Drawing from the conference theme which was apparently inspired from the newly launched Sustainable Development Goals, the UNSG in his opening remarks expressed deep concerns about the growing trend of ethnic Nationalism around the world, which is posing a threat to globalization and its recent gains; a cumulative of which will hamper efforts at attaining the SDGs by 2030.

Trade must provide prosperity in ways that work for people and planet and respond to the challenges of climate change.... We must also put a proper value on assets, such as ecosystem services, and correctly price systemic and interconnected risk, such as that posed by climate change. There are more than enough savings in the global economy to drive the transformation that the SDGs call for, but our investments need to become better aligned with sustainable development....Ban Ki Moon

UNSG, Ban Ki Moon delivering his opening remarks at UNCTAD'14 opening plenary session

I struggled to work my conference schedule to attend other side events aside the Youth Forum which I was registered for; but as much as I tried, the concurrence of events on the programme schedule didn’t help my course.

The Youth Forum was formally inaugurated on 19th July by the UNCTAD’14SG, after sundry informal activities aimed at team building and bonding. In his opening remarks, the UNCTADSG emphasized the uniqueness of UNCTAD; a rare UN agency where every member nation has an equal voice and a vote unlike most UN agencies where a nation’s vote is equal to the number of contributory dollars it has. He urged youths to intensify their respective developmental activities to help shape the world we want as we would be development drivers and have to account for the tenure of the SDGs by 2030, and then set another global agenda beyond that date.

Youth Forum Delegates Bonding with the UNCTAD'14 SG, Mukhisa Kituyi

The Forum was divided into three breakout sessions for delegates to discuss thematic subjects on Quality Education, Better Jobs and Government/State Accountability. I joined the education group and in the end, each group drafted a working document on these subthemes to serve as the official Youth Declaration Document to be presented the Ministerial High level event segment of the Youth Forum.

My discussion Subgroup teammates in the Education thematic group 

It was enthusing slinging ideas with delegates from different National backgrounds on the thematic issues and noting several peculiar regional problems bothering on these thematic subjects.

Rubbing minds with Priyash Bista after the end of the Ministerial High Level event of the UNCTAD'14 Youth Forum

I found time to attend World Investment Forum sessions of the High Level Tripartite Conference on Investment Promotion in the SDGs and Promoting Investment in Urban Development. At both sessions, it was obvious that East Asian Nations led by China would provide the investment impetus to effect development in the Global South Nations whilst development funding was satirely hailed as a trillion-dollar question.

The Panellist at the High Level Tripartite Conference on Investment Promotion in the SDGs

The Global commodities hub provided an opportunity for member states to show case investment opportunities in their respective countries, especially by display of produce/commodities locally accustomed to member nations. I found time to explore the scenario and was greeted with the dominant display of various typologies of Kenyan tea and coffee. I was told Kericho county produce the best Kenyan tea. I ended up shopping for tea to present as travel souvenir to my colleagues back home.

Made friends with the Thailand delegation at the Global Commodities Hub

The Conference winded up with closing sessions at the various side events and capped with the closing ceremony, plenary session and the signing of the Nairobi Consensus, to drive UNCTAD’s agenda for the next four years. Heavily constrained by funds, I could not afford safari tours; however, I comforted myself with the warm hospitality of my host and his neighbours at the University of Nairobi Hostel. No thanks to the deft culinary skills of Sudanese born Kordofan lady in Chichiley Haroun, my taste buds were groomed to East African delicacies such as Ugali, Mokimo and Mandazi.

Grooming my taste buds to East African Delicacies. Ugali on show

After an enthralling moment at Nairobi, I made my way back to Nigeria humming the UNCTAD’14 Youth Forum Theme Song composed by Elani,..Together! Pamoja!. and rethinking the course to action on driving the global development agenda from my local corner.

Creating The Africa We Want from AGENDA 2063

‘....Agenda 2063, rooted in Pan Africanism and African Renaissance, provides a robust framework for addressing past injustices and the realization of the 21st Century as the African Century’

Whilst the International Development front tangles with the transition from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union has charted its own developmental cause for the African Continent with the mantra ‘Agenda 2063’- The Africa we want. This Continent wide development initiative is not the first of its kind as there has been the NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development) initiative, aimed at attaining the MDGs.

Source: www.un.org

‘Agenda 2063’ was conceived as a building block from the Pan-Africanist ideas that founded the OAU (organization for Africa Unity) in Addis Ababa in 1963, with a vision to liberate Africa from the shackles of colonialism. And yes, amid the uncertainties of that era, the struggle was won; though there still remain pockets of colonial enclaves dotting from Mayotte, The Chagos Islands and Western Sahara, the abolishment of the Apartheid regime in South Africa remains a sterling fulfilment of the struggles of the OAU in this regard. As such, the opening statement of ‘Agenda 2063’ pays tribute to the initial strides of Pan-Africanism viz:

OAU founding fathers, Kwame Nkrumah and  Haile Selassie at the inauguration of the OAU in Addis Ababa in May 25 1963
Source: bbcnews.com

‘We, the people of Africa and her Diaspora, united in diversity, young and old, men and women, girls and boys from all walks of life, deeply conscious of history, express our deep appreciation to all generations of Pan-Africanist. In particular to the founders of the Organization of African Unity for having bequeathed us an Africa with exemplary successes in the fight against slavery, colonialism and apartheid...’

 CREATING THE AFRICA WE WANT from lessons from the past

This being the mantra of Agenda 2063, the thought of achieving the dream defines its call to action; for the cause of Pan Africanism has transmuted from that of anti-colonial struggles, to administering good governance and attaining sustainable development. The fifty year plan of action which connotes Agenda 2063 was born on the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the OAU in May 2013; having succeeded in achieving political independence for 98% of Africa after 50years of its founding.

Source:http://agenda2063.au.int/en/documents/agenda-2063-africa-we-want-popular-version-2nd-edition

Though Pan Africanism seems to be building on a success story of political independence, it will be fool hardy not to take into cognisance the ensuing political maladministration which brewed ethno-religious conflicts/civil wars and near/total economic collapse in most African Countries after their Independence. This disgustingly ‘turned the beggar bowl’ into the hands of most African leaders to the global bipolar powers. As such, Africa has always blamed its woes on the global bipolar actors; from the throes of colonialism, internal/external conflicts, to economic woes.  Such defines the saying that

Africa has achieved political but not economic independence!

Agenda 2063 is an audacious plan and going forward; there are veritable lessons that must be taken into cognisance. After 50 years of amateurship in political leadership and governance, charting a fifty year sustainable development plan calls to question the virtues of competence and dedication in these areas of deficiency. Yet, as inordinate as it seems, it’s achievable.

The world has seen development examples in the Marshall plan that rebuilt a devastated Europe after World War 2; the full emergence and dominance of Asia tiger Nations of Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea and not to talk of the glories of the Asiatic powers in China and Japan. All these Nations had one thing in common—they shared trademark devastation from the shackles of Colonialism and Warfare after the Second World War and then emerged to the zenith of development less than 50 years after! Of course, Africa nations must begin to rethink their strategic plan of action in achieving Agenda 2063.. However, one thing must be jettisoned- Africans should stop blaming outside forces especially colonist for its woes.

'PARTNERSHIPS'

The walk of Agenda 2063 will be best achieved if complemented by foreign partnerships. As much as African solutions to African problems are being sought, it will be fool hardy to ignore the investive overtures of foreign partners especially the sincere ones.

As a point of note, China has acted and fulfilled a self tasking donation of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by wholly constructing and donating the ultra modern Africa Union Headquarters building. As such, the Chinese are no push overs in terms of being development partners. More than that, it would be worthy of note for Africa to understudy the Chinese development success story and imbibe some doctrines where necessary.

The $200million AU ultra modern  Headquarter complex donated and constructed by China at Addis Ababa

Africa like China has footprints in indigenous civilization straddling from the Nile Valley in Egypt and Ethiopia to ruins of Great Zimbabwe in the South. India too like China, having an indigenous civilization success story has built on its past despite being colonized to overthrowing the West in the advancement of Software technology, genetic modified medicine/technology and as such spreading her developmental innovations to several sectors. Identifying Africa as a partner in progress, the Indian Prime Minister during the Inaugural India-Africa summit made this statement

"The hearts of 1.25 billion Indians and 1.25 billion Africans are in rhythm. We are united by youth - two thirds of India and Africa are below 35. And, if the future belongs to the youth, then this century is ours to shape and build,"...Narenda Modi (Indian Prime Minister)

As the journey into Agenda 2063 is being made, Africa should envy the development strategy of the World’s two most populous nations. Surely there are lots of positives to imitate.

THE AFRICA WE WANT

With so much talk on the diversity and plurality of Africa’s populace, the Chinese and Indians have in their endeavours belittled this. What’s next for Africa is to look beyond its current struggles and march on to the Eldorado of development. The vast human and natural resources provides no room for excuse. Acknowledging the efforts of regional blocs at regional integration from free movement of people and goods, this can be built upon by linking the entire continent by rail.

Of course, talk is cheap but in actualizing Agenda 2063, there must be special focus on African induced technological advancement and industrialization. Away from the talk of gender and sundry rights issues, a self driven technology will surely set Agenda 2063 in auto pilot.

Whilst appreciating the efforts of foreign partners, it is pertinent that the materiel and personnel for Africa’s development future is solely African. Africa cannot keep using non African produced essential products like cars, machines, Infrastructure fittings, clothes etc and expect to attain Agenda 2063. Africa’s educational ivory towers must be empowered to initiate the drive through research funding and project utilization. Only then can we have the Africa we want.

The Youth as drivers for ‘Agenda 2063’

 According to the African Union Commission webpage on youth, ‘About 65% of the total population of Africa are below the age of 35 years, and over 35% are between the ages of 15 and 35 years - making Africa the most youthful continent. By 2020, it is projected that out of 4 people, 3 will be on average 20 years old.

The Youths of all climes are conduits of development in their vicinity and any attempt to disenfranchise their productivity through unemployment has always proved destructive to the society and world at large. Examples of such abound in the fascist movement in Europe that fueled the 2nd World War, several guerrilla movements that fueled civil wars around Africa in the last quarter of the 20th Century, the burgeoning revolution of the Arab Spring in North Africa and the Middle East and social vices of armed robbery and gangsterism; all of which make use of youths as foot soldiers.

As such, it is imperative that the African youth be positively engaged and harnessed. Only then can Agenda 2063 for ‘the Africa we want’ be achieved.