2024 marked a milestone for our Hamlin Midwives with the launch of the Hamlin Midwives Awards, an initiative introduced by our Chairwoman, Joli Wescombe. From an outstanding pool of applicants, three exceptional young midwives were recognised: Emebet Zigie for Innovation and Problem-Solving, Masresha Kaleb for Community Mobilisation, and Sintayehu Lake for Clinical Excellence.
These remarkable women, each in their first 1–2 years of midwifery practice, have overcome significant challenges, including working in remote locations, resource limitations, and language barriers. Despite these obstacles, they successfully engaged their communities and increased the number of births at midwifery clinics.
Their achievements include:
Building Maternity Accommodation Rooms: Collaborating with local health authorities, they provided housing for expectant mothers from remote villages, enabling access to midwifery care without the need for long-distance travel during labour.
Enhancing Detection of Pregnancy Complications: Increasing access to ultrasound services ensured timely identification and management of complications.
Community Education: Working with community leaders, Health Extension Workers, and local members, they established monthly education forums for pregnant women and their families. These included sessions specifically for men to raise awareness of maternal health needs.
Masresha beautifully summarised the heart of their work, sharing:
“Being human is enough to help people. The community has a lot to share if we have good listening skills and habits. All people need better things in life if there is a leader who shows the way... I made the [health centre] director and other health professionals believe that being a woman never hinders me from achieving what I dream. It is only a matter of self-motivation and vision. Based on this, I became a role model for the health centre and the community.”
As part of their recognition, each midwife received US$1,500 to invest in their maternity clinic and a laptop—a valuable tool for their ongoing education, worth more than their annual salary.
Congratulations to Emebet, Masresha, and Sintayehu—you inspire us all with your dedication and achievements. We are immensely proud of you!
