Childbirth is one of the most transformative experiences in a woman’s life. For many, it is a moment of joy and hope the arrival of new life and new beginnings. But for women in Epworth, a densely populated community on the outskirts of Harare, it is also a moment marked by uncertainty, physical danger, and emotional distress. In the absence of easily accessible maternal healthcare services, women and families are left to improvise, adapt, and survive the best way they can.
One of the people stepping into this gap is Tapiwa Vhinya, a traditional birth attendant known affectionately in her community as Ambuya Va52. Since 2019, she has delivered more than fifty babies, often using only the most basic tools her bare hands, a piece of string to tie the umbilical cord, and an empty soft drink can to cut it. These are not conditions any woman should have to endure, yet they are the reality for many women in Epworth and other low-income areas around the country.
The story of Ambuya Va52 is not one of recklessness or defiance of modern healthcare systems. It is a story of resilience, community service, and adaptation in the face of financial and logistical challenges. Many women in Epworth turn to her not because they reject hospital care, but because the journey to it is often blocked by cost, distance, and sometimes even by fear of mistreatment.
A typical hospital delivery in this area requires not just a registration fee but also a list of supplies that includes gloves, cord clamps, sterile blades, linen savers, cotton wool, and disinfectant. For families struggling to afford food, these requirements can be overwhelming. Even the ambulance service, in emergency cases, comes with a cost that is simply out of reach for many. Some families have had no choice but to push their wives or daughters in wheelbarrows for several kilometers, in the hope of reaching the clinic on time.
These situations are not just logistical or medical challenges they are human experiences, filled with anxiety, strength, and the unwavering desire to protect life.
Yet amid these struggles, it is important to recognise the efforts already in place. Zimbabwe’s Constitution clearly enshrines the right to basic healthcare services, including maternal care, and the country has ratified international treaties like the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). These legal commitments are more than words; they are guiding frameworks that help shape national policy and long-term planning.
Improving maternal health outcomes in underserved communities like Epworth does not require blame or finger-pointing it requires partnership. Government institutions, local health workers, traditional birth attendants, civil society groups, and communities themselves all have a role to play.
One of the most powerful opportunities lies in integrating traditional birth attendants into the formal healthcare system. People like Tapiwa Vhinya already have the trust of their communities. With access to basic training, sterile equipment, and referral pathways, they can help bridge the gap between the clinic and the home. Many countries across Africa and beyond have successfully developed such models, where traditional birth attendants are seen as vital partners in achieving maternal health goals.
At the same time, reducing the financial barriers to care through community health subsidies, mobile clinics, and flexible payment schemes can ensure that no woman is forced to give birth outside a health facility because of lack of money. These are not insurmountable goals. In fact, Zimbabwe has shown that with targeted interventions and community engagement, real change is possible.
Equally important is the need to strengthen trust between expectant mothers and the healthcare system. Several women from Epworth shared concerns about their experiences at clinics, including reports of being ignored, spoken to harshly, or asked for informal payments. These stories matter. They speak to the urgent need for continued investment in patient-centred care, staff training, and accountability not to criticise, but to improve.
Healthcare workers across the country are doing incredibly difficult work, often under enormous pressure and with limited resources. Recognising and supporting their efforts must be part of the national conversation. Just as we value the unpaid work of community midwives, we must also value the labour of nurses, doctors, and midwives operating in clinics and hospitals. Together, these professionals form the foundation of maternal care in Zimbabwe.
A holistic approach to maternal health in communities like Epworth must also include education and antenatal outreach. Preventative care, such as monitoring for high blood pressure, malnutrition, or abnormal fetal positions, can mean the difference between a safe birth and a tragic one. If women receive this care early and regularly, complications can be identified and managed before labour begins.
Documentation is another area that needs thoughtful attention. Babies born at home often face long delays in getting birth records, health cards, or official recognition. Streamlining this process through mobile registration teams or clinic-based support can ensure every child starts life with a name, an identity, and a future.
Importantly, this is not just a women’s issue — it is a national development issue. Maternal and newborn health is linked to every other aspect of community wellbeing: education, employment, economic growth, and long-term national prosperity. When mothers are healthy and supported, families thrive, and so do communities.
The story of Epworth is not one of failure — it is a reminder of the gaps that still exist, and the innovative, compassionate ways people are filling them. It is a story of courage — not only of the women giving birth in difficult conditions, but also of those like Ambuya Va52 who step up to assist them. It is also a call to action for all stakeholders, including government, health workers, NGOs, and donors, to come together in support of mothers across the country.
