In a remote village perched atop the rugged mountains of Kusmah District, Raymah Governorate in western Yemen — where access to healthcare is often a race against time — Fatima Mohammed, a midwife in her fifties, stood once without hope in the face of her humanitarian mission: safeguarding mothers during critical moments of childbirth. Yet her heart was as vast as the surrounding mountains, driven by an unwavering passion to save lives.
For over 20 years, Fatima practiced midwifery armed with only the basic knowledge she had learned decades ago, believing that her experience and what she knew was all there was to midwifery—until she was enrolled in a refresher training for midwives in Raymah, through the Emergency Obstetric Care Project by AGF in Partnership with UNFPA, which offered her a new professional beginning.
Fatima shares her experience:
"I was working with old knowledge until this project brought me back to life. I learned how to recognize risks I had never known before, and I realized that my mission is much greater than just a profession."
Today, after receiving comprehensive training, capacity building, and financial incentives, Fatima has become one of the most distinguished midwives in her area. Beyond ensuring safe deliveries for women in her community, she has taken on the role of an educator, knocking on doors, offering advice, raising awareness, warning of risks, and filling the hearts of mothers with hope through her comforting words.
Despite her age, Fatima now says with confidence and a bright smile:
"The training made me feel as if I’m 15 again. I have the energy to learn, to teach, and to do everything I can to protect the mothers in my community."
Fatima’s story is not just one of hope born out of hardship; it is a tale of an ageless spirit that refuses to surrender, and of a project that not only transformed her life but continues to uplift many others in her humble village.