When the white tent appears at the edge of Bougweni, it feels like relief after a long drought. For Sitty Ahamadi, moving joyfully and smiling while at the clinic, “The place has opened my eyes. I now know that I can choose when to have a child, think about my health, and my children’s future. I feel stronger, freer.”
At 26, Sitty was expecting for the third time. On her first visit to the mobile clinic, she was exhausted but curious. Alongside other women from her village, she entered a large tent pitched under the shade of the trees. Inside, she says she discovered much more than care. She discovered a space for listening, respect, and learning. She found another world. Women in scrubs spoke to her gently, patiently explaining things.
“I learned things I didn’t know before,” she says. “Like how you can prepare for breastfeeding during pregnancy, or the right way to position your baby when feeding.”
For Sitty, this was transformative. The clinic also introduced her to family planning, an unspoken subject in her community. For the first time, she understood that birth spacing was not only possible, but her right. It was a way to protect her health, regain her strength between pregnancies, and give her children the attention they deserved.
Breaking the distance barrier
The mobile clinic on the island of Anjouan has been in use since 2020. Funded by UNFPA, the space is a much-needed safe haven for pregnant women. From the Village of Bougweni, the nearest hospital, Sima Health Center, is 10 kilometers away, a hard distance for a pregnant woman to reach on foot.
“Sometimes, after a late period, you think you might be pregnant, but the journey, especially when you have to travel miles, makes you less likely to want to go to the doctor. Sometimes you don’t even have enough taxi fares. Then you get to a point where you think you’re just waiting for the birth,” explains Hanati Sidi, 37. Hanati is expecting her fourth child and shares the relief and happiness of having a clinic that’s close.
Consistency is key
The regular arrival of the mobile clinic, with the support of UNFPA, breaks this isolation. With UNFPA’s innovation and deployment of the mobile clinic, the rhythm of life for women in Bougweni has changed. Because the Mobile Clinic not only treats but also directs and encourages pregnant women to go to the hospital to prevent preventable maternal deaths.
“I wish she would come more often. I won’t hide it from you, when she comes here to Bougweni, everyone is happy. It’s like when it’s the dry season and you see the rain fall. Currently, I’m waiting for the clinic to check my vaccinations and be up to date,” Sitty explains.
The clinic provides essential healthcare services, including medication, personalized advice, and a compassionate ear. It embodies a humanistic approach, reaching out to those isolated by distance and lack of resources, assuring them they are not alone.
As a result, women like Sitty and Hanati are better informed and more empowered. While the mobile clinic is only a part of our interventions and actions, it paves the way for prevention, fosters autonomy, and restores dignity.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UNFPA – East and Southern Africa.