Altine Traoré is a midwife at the Espace Confiance Drop-in Center in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Trained by Solthis as part of the POUVOIR project, she explains how she discovered her calling and why she chose this profession.
Since I was a child, I wanted to become a doctor to help women. My parents dreamed of me becoming an engineer, but I chose to become a midwife because of my passion for it. At first, I worked in a village where I became a role model for the women I helped. I don’t do this job for the money, but out of love.
Today, I work at Espace Confiance with key populations. Solthis helped me with training on representations, rape cases, and STIs. Our role is to provide care, period. We don’t have the right to judge our patients, regardless of their sexual orientation. Here, we make them feel at ease, just like at home! Before, I would provide care without asking my patients for their opinion. Now, I take the time to introduce myself, explain everything I’m going to do, and ask for their consent.
With Solthis, we have also started using the contraceptive self-injection (Sanaya Press) approach. At first, the midwives and women were reluctant. But Solthis trained me. When a woman comes to the center, she is often afraid of self-injection. You just have to take the time to explain it to her so that she understands. I always do three sessions with them. When they become independent, I can’t describe the joy they feel when they have the power to take control of their bodies and health.
Before, women, especially sex workers, didn’t come to the center. Today, even though the POUVOIR project is over, they continue to come, thanks to word of mouth. They bring the center to life. We are trained, we welcome them and we care for them. Many are still unaware of their rights. So I continue to raise awareness, visit sites, and train other midwives. So that every woman, every key person, feels listened to and respected.
