The Midwives of Kalongo

The Midwives of Kalongo is a story about the importance of midwives in African villages to provide care and education about safe pregnancy and birth.

Kalongo, an isolated village in Northern Uganda, is home to the St. Mary's Midwifery School and Kalongo Hospital. St. Mary's is preparing midwives for a difficult fight against infant and maternal mortality in a country where cultural norms often rule over medical advice.

The women who do come to give birth in the hospital often come alone and several weeks in advance to avoid going into labor at home. Kalongo has the only hospital within a 3 hour drive on dirt roads and local health clinics are often understaffed and understocked.

The midwives are part of a movement to educate women and their partners on healthcare issues to provide safe and healthy pregnancies for all.