Uddo's Journey
26 January 2026
From dangerous births to safe deliveries
In the remote community of Daraytu in Afar, 65-year-old Uddo Arba has dedicated her life to bringing new life into the world. For decades, she worked as a Traditional Birth Attendant (TBA)—a role passed down through generations and deeply respected in her community.
.
But the methods Uddo inherited, while traditional, were often dangerous. Harmful practices, including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and unsafe birthing techniques, unknowingly put both mothers and babies at risk.
Everything changed when Uddo met two Women Extension Workers trained by our project partners, the Afar Pastoralist Development Association (APDA). Through their training workshop, she discovered the hidden dangers in the practices she had always followed.
“I learned that what I thought was right was actually hurting women,” Uddo recalls.
“Now, I only want to help mothers and babies live and be safe.”
Today, Uddo has become a champion for safe birth and women’s rights. She provides antenatal care to pregnant women in her remote community, giving them the best chance possible of a safe delivery. She also educates families about the dangers of FGM, advocating for a future where women and girls can live free from life-long harm.
Your generosity is changing lives
This past Christmas, thanks to everyone who gave so generously, more women like Uddo are now being trained and equipped by APDA. It costs $57.75 to train a Traditional Birth Attendant and $83.52 to refer a woman in labour to emergency care – your generosity means more than 250 women can be trained, equipped and sent out to rural communities this year, with funding for at least 1,000 pregnant women at risk to be safely referred to a hospital! With each trained TBA like Uddo, you’re helping ensure more mothers survive birth and helping keep the next generation safe from harm.
Plus, did you know it costs just $1.41 for a safe birthing kit? It’s a simple kit, each one containing things like soap, gloves and clean cloths, but it can literally mean the difference between safe birth and tragedy for women living in some of the most isolated parts of Ethiopia.
Thank you for your part in making childbirth safer in Ethiopia.
.
Ethiopiaid Australia receives no government support, so this work is 100% powered through the compassion of people across Australia. By making a donation today, you can help train, equip and send out more health workers who can provide life-saving care and help end the tragedy that is maternal mortality in Afar.
Together, we can change the story of birth in Ethiopia - one safe delivery at a time.
Related Posts
