Shanti Uganda

I arrived into Entebbe International Airport late Monday night while my EMC teammates and SMGL (Saving Mothers Giving Life) partners were still in the field, which is always a frustrating way to take in a new country, alone and in the dark…But after a solid night’s sleep, still pretty rare for me back home, I awoke refreshed and eager to get out there and see Uganda for myself for the first time after months of reading about it and speaking to our implementing partners on the ground over long conference calls. I decided to take advantage of my first day in a new country by going out to visit a very special place I have been hearing about since launching Every Mother Counts, Shanti Uganda. 

Founded by Natalie Angell-Besseliing after visiting Uganda in 2007, Shanti Uganda started as a women’s collective to help HIV positive women support themselves and one another while generating income. Natalie soon recognized however, that women didn’t have enough birthing options in hospitals. Given the country’s high fertility rate and its impact on maternal and newborn deaths, Shanti Uganda quickly expanded into a booming maternity center situated on an acre plot of land in Kasana, Uganda, about an hour and a half drive outside Kampala.

Shanti’s Uganda’s mission: To improve infant and maternal health, provide safe women-centered care and support the well-being of birthing mothers and women living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda.

After receiving their first grant from Off the Mat and Into the World in 2009, Shanti was OFF the mat and UP and running officially in 2010. Deliveries have increased here from 33 in the first year to 33 in the first two months of its third year with an average of 30 new mothers coming in for prenatal care each month. 

Sadie St. Denis, current Project Coordinator of Shanti Uganda, met me at my hotel at 10:00 a.m. As we drove out of Kampala she caught me up on the history of the Luweero region, the lessons they’ve learned and their plans for future expansion. Having first come over to Uganda from her native Canada in 2010, Sadie was placed in a maternity ward at a regional government hospital and spent five months assessing care and advocating on behalf of mothers who were either referred or sought care there. She was discouraged by what she witnessed, but that experience inspired her vision for Shanti's potential. “My hope is that Shanti changes the perspective of how a mother should be treated. She deserves to be treated like a human being, as we do at Shanti. Once more people are aware that this is possible they will start to demand compassionate care.”

When we arrived at Shanti a jubilant group of women sang and clapped their welcome as they made their way across the garden to greet us. I learned later that many of them are part of that original women’s collective initiated by Natalie.

Once introductions were made to these women and a handful of friendly staff members, Sister Mary, Shanti's head Midwife, came out to welcome me with a warm hug and our tour began.  In addition to the holistic approach offered here at Shanti, the look and feel of the place is also quite unique. The walls are painted a warm yellow hue and there are comfortable seating areas in every corner, a library and welcoming faces everywhere.

Moms at different stages of their maternal journey were spread throughout the inside areas of Shanti. One mother was coming in for her first prenatal visit, another for care for her young son (care is available for the child's first year for a nominal fee), and one was resting in an adjacent room with the newborn son, Daniel, whom she delivered less than 24 hours earlier. Daniel is Jennifer's fourth child but this was her first Shanti experience and she was clearly a satisfied customer.

Our tour continued into the private examination room, lab, birth center, and through the garden where Rita the resident agriculturist took over to explain each of the species and the various health and healing benefits each of them provides. We then sat in with the women's collective to see their beading techniques and newest designs.

We had lunch over local fare with pineapple and sweet hibiscus tea and then started to say our goodbyes. As we were leaving we popped in to see Jennifer all packed up and ready to head home with baby Daniel.  Her boda was waiting outside. She was getting her parting advice from the health educator and resident doula and taking it all in as if all the information was new.

There isn't much that hasn't been carefully and mindfully considered here at Shanti. As we support the goal to reduce maternal and infant mortality in Uganda, such examples of compassionate care, a supported and appreciated staff and of course satisfied customers, must be noted because we won't get there without them.