Nurse’s desire to save mothers in her village pays off

Before Antonella Leakono arrived at Longewan dispensary in Samburu West, mothers depended on traditional birth attendants to give birth.

In many cases, such deliveries ended in the loss of both mother and baby. In a county where banditry attacks are the norm, other women met with the bandits' weapons before reaching the attendant's house.

Determined to serve her community, Nurse Leakono, 40, headed home after her training in 2010. Since then, Leakono has seen more women delivering in hospital, husbands taking their wives to hospital and above all, a modern health centre constructed to reach more mothers.

She has had an impact. The fruits of her labour are now visible. Leakono now assists up to ten women in just one month, while previously that number was at zero.

But she says more needs to be done to save mothers and reduce child mortality.

"When I arrived here, virtually all the women were giving birth at home. The men did not see the value of a hospital. I began by visiting homes and helping mothers deliver. It was hard given the distance I had to cover and sometimes the insecurity in the county. But the thought of saving a mother who was probably married early and oppressed by traditions urged me along."

After a year, her message had spread far and wide.

This inspired to make more treks in the plains.

''I started realising results when men would call me to attend to their wives during birth. I had earned their trust. This was a good move given the way our men hold tight to the Samburu culture,'' she says.

In 2012, she used her savings to construct a delivery room, which is known locally as Nkaji Naishoreki, next to the dispensary.

She wanted her services near the dispensary to encourage antenatal visits. With this, more women chose to give birth at Nkaji Naishoreki.

Those who sought antenatal care also grew.

The delivery room is a simple structure with a wooden bench that acts as a waiting bay and a bed for delivery.

The house still has features of the Samburu culture, which helps preserve tradition.

"Although it is a simple structure, lives are saved. This is my service to the poor women who depend on their husbands to pay for delivery fees. We only charge a small fee but lack of it doesn't bar any mother from the delivery services. I happily help because I know what it means to give birth in Samburu.''

Her efforts attracted benevolence.

Early last year, the county government gave money for the construction of a modern delivery ward to replace the Nkaji Naishoreki.

This only means that more women can safely give birth and more children will live longer.

"I was honoured when my dream was supported. The permanent structure is to me a clear indication that Samburu women only need an enabling ground to be like other modern women who give birth without fear. Even if I move from here, I am happy that I have planted a seed of hope for our women. It can only grow better."

This feat has been achieved through sacrifice. Since 2010, she has never gone on leave as she is the only nurse in the dispensary.

"Other nurses in the country have the luxury of taking annual leave but that is a alien thing to me. Who will attend to the mothers? Who will save lives of the innocent babies? Every day for me is a struggle to serve my people. We are yet to reach where other Kenyans have reached on this journey. That is why I am playing my part diligently."

Even when her fellow nurses in the country down their tools in demand for higher pay, she still remains at her work station to ensure that more mothers and babies get the first chance in life.

Above all, Leakono is driven by a desire to be a role model for Samburu girls who have to wade through tradition upon tradition to enter and remain in class.

"Samburu girls need nurses, teachers, doctors, lawyers and other professions to instil in them the fact that education is the only way to turn a new chapter in our lives."

For Leakono, she had a role model in her late father, a former provincial administrator. Her father ensured all his daughters, just like his sons, had an equal chance of going to school to any level the wanted to reach.

In her family of eight siblings, all the four girls went to school while the four boys became herders.

In a community where the boy child comes first, it was a rare opportunity that the girls, who should have been married off at an early age, saw the inside of a classroom.

Hers might seem like a drop in the ocean, but what motivates Leakono is the fact that the ocean is feeling the drop.