Giving birth in Niger– risky business!

*note- all pictures were just taken with my camera phone as I did not want to bring my big camera into this setting, so sorry for the low resolution!

My dear Tuareg friend Miriama was pregnant. I remember when I came back from home assignment this past December that she was newly pregnant and processing all the changes that would mean in her life. As this precious baby grew inside of her we had many long talks about being a Mom, what birth was like, cultural practices for Tuaregs about babies, who gets to name them etc. It was my first time being really close to the expecting mamma so I could ask all my questions about how things went here in a Niger cultural setting and she could ask all of her questions to me.

Just before we went away for 2 weeks vacation this end of June we talked about when she would give birth in mid-August. She really wanted me to be able to come into the clinic with her and deliver with her. I told her about birthing classes that we can take in North America and she asked if when I came back from vacation I could prepare and teach her birthing classes. I was a little intimidated by the idea but know it is a real need here! Young women have no idea what childbirth is about. No one talks about it and they are scared and misinformed and nervous. They WANT to know about it, but either won’t ask culturally or else have on where to ask. So her strange and outspoken but bestie Canadian friend was the perfect person right?

I came back from vacation late at night on Tuesday July 15th. On Thursday the 17th at noon I got a frantic call from Miriama’s sister that she had been tested at the clinic and shown to have severe pre-eclampsia and they were headed to the central city maternity hospital for an emergency c-section. Wow! That definitely took all my plans for the next week and threw them right out the window! The idea of a 35-36 week preemie in Niger was terrifying, a country where even full term babies fight incredible odds to survive. There are some simple facilities and baby incubators for preemies, but no where near the range of options we are familiar with elsewhere in the World.

I called Paul home to take over the kids and as soon as he walked in the door I rushed out to the hospital. When I got there they had Miriama in an emergency triage room, along with about 30 other women. This small space only had a dozen beds so they women were all lined up sitting on the floor as well. And there were no doctors. The few nurses took care of any absolute necessities but kept waiting for the doctors to come. I sat with her sister just outside the emergency room (we were not allowed in- armed military at the doors) and we waited. And waited. At one point Miriama came out to pass on a message to another Tuareg family waiting and when she returned to the waiting room, someone had stolen the $1 plastic sheet she had had to buy for her “clean delivery” kit. Unbelievable. Her sister told me that since it was Ramadan and everyone was fasting all day it was not uncommon for people (doctors) to not come to work until after they had broken their fast at dusk and eaten. I can’t say for sure if this was the reason, but sure enough, after dusk and eating time, the doctors filtered in. They decided to giver her some medication to try to reverse or stabilize the pre-eclampsia overnight. So she was hooked up to an iv overnight, while sitting on the floor on a plastic sheet. I went home around 8pm and her sister and another friend set up their plastic mats and a few blankets outside on the courtyard under the trees to stay the night and watch over Miriama if anything was needed. Here, if you need a new medicine, they call out to your waiting family member and give them a piece of paper with the medicine name written on it. You go to the pharmacy yourself and buy this medicine and then return with it to the ward where they will administer it. So you dare not be left without a support person standing by.

The next day just after noon I arrived back at the maternity ward to spell off her sister so she could go home and shower and rest and change while I was on call as Miriama’s support person.

I sat outside under the trees in the courtyard with a group of other Tuareg women who were there visiting other people. 2 other women from the Tuareg community were also in this same hospital at the time. It was actually a good time of visiting, practicing language, asking questions, watching culture and just being with them. But the place we were sitting did not feel like any other waiting room I had ever been in.

There were dozens of little groups of women scattered around a treed courtyard, with their bright plastic mats set up on the dirt and their little pails of food, water, clothing, etc beside them. The mosquitos circled overheard and at least 4-5 different languages could be heard. Because the majority of them were fasting you heard the constant noise of spitting as they would not even swallow their saliva and many were lethargic and lounging and waiting for news, or pharmacy calls, for their loved ones. If you don’t get your name called to come and get information, don’t even bother trying to get it yourself. Not only are there armed military guards at the door who are quite serious about their job of keeping you out, the nurses were quite abrupt and kept telling me I just had to wait for the doctor and they didn’t know anything. I know medical care is very different in this culture and I found it hard to accept that the family was not involved in their care and there was no information available.

Sitting with the groups of women in the “waiting courtyard”

The second day Ella came with me as I am still a nursing Mama and can’t be away for that long! All the ladies loved her and she went from person to person and smiled and cooed at them all.

While I was waiting and chatting, Miriama’s name was called (thus actually calling her support person- me). I went and saw Miriama and she said the medicine did not work and they were going to go do a c-section. Right now. And here was the list of stuff I needed to go buy from the pharmacy! So I ran and bought the items, gave them to Miriama along with her “clean delivery items” and walked with her to the operating room. At the door I asked the attendant if I could come in with her. I hoped, but knew it likely would not be allowed. Sure enough, No. ( Another teammate was also there who would have taken Ella for a while so I had hoped to go in). I held her hand, with fear in my heart that something could go wrong and quickly prayed with her. She looked scared but also resigned. She walked in and I had to go sit back down with the ladies. They called me a few other times over the next few hours. Once to take a bag with all her clothes in it. Another time to bring the yards of clean cloth we had ready for her. Another time to go buy a clean razor to cut the cord and then one more time to bring a diaper and first outfit for the baby. By this time Miriama’s sister and other friend were also there and we sat anxiously awaiting the news. Finally the one nurse told us it was over, it was a GIRL and that despite being a preemie, she weighed 2.45 kilos and had good lung function! (Okay she didn’t actually offer all that information but I sure asked!) Praise God!! She did not even need to be put into an incubator! We were so relieved after hours of not knowing what was happening, being told they were “working on” the baby and feeling helpless.

We waited more hours to see how things went. As dusk came and the official “fasting day” was over, I saw all the women in the courtyard prepare. About 30 minutes before they could eat or drink the tea pots and charcoal cookers came out. The pungent smell of burning charcoal and bitter tea filled the air. Many women mixed a sweet drink made of yogurt, sugar and millet flour to be drunk right when they broke the fast. When the time came, you could hear the mosques around the city calling it out on the loud speakers. Women around me raised their hands to praise Allah and then they picked up their drinks and drank deeply and enjoyed liquids for a while. Then they went and did their ritual washings and would lay down mats right wherever they found an empty spot and do their prayers. Then they came back to their mats and meals were pulled out of buckets and everyone ate together. This evening a couple of my previous NVOC student girls happened to be there as well visiting family members and it was a sweet time to visit with them and their families under the trees and dim bulbs with the aroma of all kinds of food being cooked all around us. As dusk fell the women who were staying the night pulled out mosquito nets and hung them from trees and rods or walls and put blankets out on their mats and settled in.

We did not see the baby that day. I left to go home in the evening. I saw Miriama only through the window of the recovery room where she told me she was okay and that she knew it was a girl. She did not see her own baby that day either.

The next day we returned bright and early to the Maternity. This time Arielle and Ella both came with me, as well as a couple of teammates. I was told by her sister that Miriama had seen the baby but she was not with her yet. No one else was allowed to see the baby until the baby was with the Mother. There were more armed military at the doors to the “Neonatal” wing. This is likely in response to the recent arrests over baby stealing and baby selling that had been happening in the country and NO ONE was getting through those doors. We had more hours of sitting outside with the Tuareg families and visiting their loved ones as well.

We were told in the afternoon that she was ready to be moved to her own room, and that they would then bring the baby to her. Of course 20 minutes turned into 2 hours. We got Miriama her own room. It was $40 for a private room for the entire 4 or so days they expected her to be there. With a half functioning air conditioner, no meals and no medication included in the price. Still- quite the deal I snapped up!!

While waiting for Miriama to arrive, we sat on a mat in her room and waited for her. Apparently very culturally appropriate although I am not sure I would want a waiting party if it had been me to just have a c-section and not even be reunited with my baby yet!!

Miriama was finally wheeled in and we rejoiced with her, but were also told it would be several more hours until they would bring the baby as they were still “working on her”. I hate those words. Miriama said she had seen the baby in the night and that so far in the 24 hours or so she had been able to nurse and see her twice. Heartbreaking. The time came and I had to go home, still not seeing the baby!

Of course I returned the next day again and this time our precious little girl was finally there with her Mom. They had brought her in late the night before and of she course kept Miriama and her sister and friend up all night, but i am thankful in this culture you are never alone and always have a support person or two with you. Miriama’s mother came while I was there and met her first grandchild for the first time. Precious moments.

Miriama’s mother (second from right) meeting her Granddaughter

This precious little girl, who was 4 weeks preemie, looked so healthy, with only minor jaundice, that I praised God for His protection of this little family I love. How beautiful she was!

Momma and her baby

Ella doing a “safety check” on the new mosquito dome bed for the baby

We visited again the next few days and were encouraged to see the baby doing so well and that nursing had started. We talked about names for the little girl. The name is not announced publically until the baby “bapteme” (akin to a dedication ceremony and party) a week after the birth. Stayed tuned for another blog about the dedication party and baby name!

All of a sudden my own baby girl, who is lightweight at only 3rd percentile for her age, looks like a giant compared to this new baby!!

We are so thankful that Miriama and her baby girl made it through this surprise early birth and c-section so well. Hallelujah! I am also feeling so blessed to be called on in this time to be her support person, to be present and go through all of this by her side. Blessed indeed. Thanks for your continued prayers for Miriama and her baby!

Men’s apprentice training program update

During the past few months we have been working hard to get our Men’s apprentice training program off the ground. Recently we cleared two major hurdles. We finally got our container out of customs. This container was packed with items for both our Men’s and Women’s second chance schools, and we are thrilled we finally got through all the paperwork and hassle to have it released. Phew!

We are very happy to have the men's program truck out of the container and it is getting ready to be insured and to clear customs shortly.

The second hurdle was finding a piece of land. This is tricky. We are not allowed to buy land here in Niger. There are also not a lot of empty lots in areas with good electricity (a must for a welding shop) that people want to rent out. After many months of looking we struck an agreement with our friends at the Baptist Mission to rent a piece of their property. They have a huge piece of land that already has good electricity and a good water supply and there were several large open, unused spaces. We are so thankful they are willing to partner with us in this way as we look to train and disciple young men from the community.

Beginning to level the land and build the access road into the area.

So now Paul is going full steam ahead trying to get the shop all set up. First up he needs to bring in fill and level the land. To help with this him and Sidimou (our day guard/welding apprentice) are building a bulldozer blade for the front of the new men's program truck! This will save us lots of money hiring local dozers to sit around for when we need them.




After the land is level and prepped we will bring in our shipping containers, unload the tools and work stations and pull up a heavy tarp roof over the work space. There is lots to do and we are thankful for your prayers as we work to get this all done! We are also thankful for another young man who is a welder who is a new expat to Niger who is helping us out two days a week to weld. He is currently working on rebuilding the 30 foot long trailer that was cut into pieces and put into the container. This trailer will be used to haul our shipping containers into place to be used as shop buildings.

We will keep you up to date. Thanks for checking in with what Paul is up to!

An Op-ed piece on the kidnappings in Nigeria

If you are online at all these days, or watch the News, you are undoubtedly aware that over 250 young women have been kidnapped and are being held my terrorists in Northern Nigeria.

I find I am both encouraged and discouraged at the same time by seeing the variety of responses on the internet and Facebook after this took place. I am very encouraged to see their plight receiving so much attention, people personally praying for them, and people hearing of the plight of many here in North/West Africa.

Personally, I find it a bit aggravating that some people are saying it is getting very little attention when in fact it is on the front pages of most news organizations, constantly on the radio for here and BBC, it has trending hashtags and twitter and is in the papers. Even before I started seeing people complaining it wasn’t in the news, I was in fact reading about it in the news. Just because it is not on the nightly news of their city does not mean it is not international news if you are normally attune to what is going on in the World. So let’s not be too quick to judge news organizations too quickly is all I am saying. If you are someone who usually reads or has an interest in things around the World, it has been in the news there from shortly after it happened. That’s all I am saying. Ok, got that off my chest

As I said, I am thrilled that the plight of these young women is getting international attention. I am all about fighting for the rights, lives, education and freedom of young women in Africa. It’s even what I do for a living. (You can see our school in Niger for young women at www.nvoc.ca) But I am wondering why it took this specific act to wake up the rest of the World to what is going on? I wonder why these young ladies were targeted specifically and why has it pulled such heart strings of the rest of the world that all the previous terror events didn’t? I like how one writer put it-

“In a part of Nigeria where 72% of the population never attends elementary school, they were in high school. In a country where a war is being waged to oppress women from getting an education, they had left their homes and families to pursue one, living in a boarding home because for many, there was not a good school in their local village. In the small farming town of Chibok, hundreds of girls were doing the hard work of pursuing dreams that were not easy given their circumstances. “

Educating girls has been proven to be the highest return investment for solving poverty. If you look at the research you can see it has been shown that an extra year of primary school boosts a girl’s income by ten to twenty percent. An extra year of secondary school boosts a girl’s income by fifteen to twenty-five percent. When a girl in the developing world receives seven or more years of education, she marries four years later and has 2.2 fewer children. Children born to educated mothers are twice as likely to survive past age five. Educated girls are more likely to change the world. All the stats show that educating a young woman truly does make a world of difference. I have seen the effects personally and I am passionate about these efforts.

I think it is great that #BringbackourGirls is trending on twitter and there are rallies and a whole bunch of support being thrown towards this issue. Apparently other countries are offering to intervene and help like Britain and France among others. But it is also not a new issue. Here in Nigeria and Niger, Boko Haram (the terrorist group) has been an issue for years. Since 2009 it has waged war in this part of the World. They have been planting bombs, blowing up and burning down schools, and massacring villages and villagers. They target schools, forward thinking individuals and families, and Christians. They have killed thousands of people in the last few years. In fact, the kidnapping occurred the same day as an explosion which killed 75 people on the outskirts of the capital Abuja. Monday May 5^th the same group attacked another city, Gamboru Ngala , “The attackers stormed the communities in the night when residents were still sleeping, setting ablaze houses and shooting residents who tried to escape from the fire.’”. Hundreds of people died.

Have most people heard of Boko Haram before the kidnapping I wonder? They have killed 2300 people since 2010. This February alone they killed over 300 people, with 59 of them being school boys from a single attack and burning down a school. They cross the border into Niger and replenish their supplies and recruit uneducated young men to join their groups, paying these young men who want money even if they don’t buy in to the ideology of Boko Haram. They also pay for information about the security movements on border officials and anti-terrorist agents and have easily evaded lukewarm efforts to really crack down on them.

I follow a lot of organizations that work on women’s issues in developing countries. Organizations like “Girl Rising”, “Girl Up” and “Smart Girls” are raising awareness about this horrific kidnapping but thankfully they are also shedding light on the deeper issues. This isn’t a unique case (only unique in numbers). It has been happening for a while. It is going to keep happening. Until the root causes are addressed, it is just a matter of time. Culturally young women are not seen as having value. They are not educated or protected. Forty per cent of Nigerian children aged 6-11 do not attend any primary school with the Northern region recording the lowest school attendance rate in the country, particularly for girls. Northern regions report up to 79% of girls not attending school. In Nigeria, the overall national percentage is 39% of girls are married off before their 18th birthday. But the prevalence of child marriage varies widely from one region to another, with figures as high as 76% in the North West region. I spend a lot of time researching child marriage and know this is a tricky issue with roots that reach deep into values, religion, and history and into their poverty and circumstances.
The trafficking of children for the purpose of domestic service, prostitution and other forms of exploitative labour is a widespread phenomenon in Nigeria. Violence, coercion and deception are used to take victims away from their families. Regretfully, Nigeria is a source, transit and destination country for trafficked women and children. Prostitution, domestic and exploitative labour continues to fuel this modern from of slavery.

One reporter apparently was trying to get some answers from major networks about why this was not getting more airtime in their opinion. The anchor said the people didn’t want to see it because it was not intense,flashy or exciting enough, and also that they could not get reporters and photos from the region, making it difficult to report in an age where people expect images and video. Then the writer makes this comment-

“That may be true, but many (that writer included) fear there is a more troubling reason for the lack of coverage: these are African girls. I feel certain that a group of American or European girls, sleeping at a boarding school and stolen by armed men in the middle of the night, would absolutely be the top story all over the World. But African girls are Other. The distance, the difference, the ongoing challenge on the continent  . . . have these things made us discount their humanity? Do we discount terrorism and death in Africa as just part of their “normal”? Are we failing to identify with these parents because of racial or cultural differences? I hope that isn’t true. I fear that it is.”

CNN had a few good points as to why these events should matter to the World.

Just imagine if 276 girls had been kidnapped in the United States. The response would be mass outrage and a forceful demand for a response. As borders become more irrelevant for terrorists, the whole world needs to take notice of the likes of Boko Haram. Nigerian militant activity has already spilled over to neighbours such as Niger and Cameroon, whose government has warned that clerics have been recruiting members in mosques in the country, said Orji Uzor Kalu, a former governor of Nigeria's Abia State.
"In this era of accelerating globalization, it appears Boko Haram hopes to align itself with extremist forces in Niger, Mali and potentially in the Middle East, which raises the specter of coordination on the stockpiling of munitions, intelligence gathering and future assaults," Kalu said.

Girls matter. Everywhere. Child slavery, forced early marriage, burning schools, blowing up bus stations and burning down schools. It ALL matters. It took this kidnapping to bring it to the attention of many around the World, but I pray that even after the resolution of the situation with these kidnapped young ladies, that the World will not just quickly forget about the whole thing. The war is far from being won, and it will continue to happen over and over again unless we address the bigger picture. Let’s not lose this new found interest just as quickly as it came.