Dieye Sokhna Babou, head midwife in Popenguine, Mbour, Senegal, received training as part of the SANSAS project. She tells us about how she discovered her vocation.
When I was little, I always wanted to go into medicine. “What do you want to be when you grow up?” “A doctor!” It was a passion. After graduating from high school, I did other training courses, even majoring in customs declaration, but it wasn’t for me. After I got married, I gave up everything to become a state-registered midwife. Three years of training was difficult, as I already had two children, but my husband supported me.
My first job? In the bush in the district of Nioro, in the Kaolack region. No electricity, no roads, nothing. I went there with my three-month-old twins. I was the only midwife there. I did everything: consultations for everyone, maternity care, vaccinations. I traveled by motorcycle and cart to reach those who couldn’t come to me. It was hard at first, but when I managed to treat them, I felt proud! I got to know the people, their dialect… and little by little, it became easier.
With Solthis, the SANSAS training made a big impression on me. Before, we had biases and preconceived notions about the young people who came to see us. Now, we try to understand their real needs, what they don’t say. A young girl might come in for pain or an STI, but when we dig deeper, we discover that what she really wants is family planning. We also work a lot with “Bajan” aunts, women chosen by community members to spread our awareness messages. These trainings have even helped me in my personal life: listening beyond words.
What motivates me? Helping. When a woman gives birth, I like to caress her, reassure her, help her forget the pain she is going through—make her smile, be with her. When I was in Kaolack, I danced and sang to help them forget the pain. That’s what being a midwife is all about: sharing, reassuring, saving lives.
