Pader, UGANDA- Her hands trembled when 23-year-old Sharon Akidi saw her name on the acceptance list. She read it twice, then a third time—just to be sure. A chance to study midwifery at St. Mary’s Midwifery Training School in Kalongo felt like a miracle. For a girl from a remote village in Awere, Northern Uganda, opportunities like this were rare, almost impossible. But this time, the dream was hers.
Growing up in a community where maternal deaths were painfully common, Akidi had long dreamt of becoming a midwife, not just to deliver babies, but to save lives and restore hope to women and girls in her community.
But thanks to the UNFPA Uganda midwifery bonding programme, financially supported by the Government of Sweden, Akidi was among a handful of adolescent girls selected for a competitive scholarship to study midwifery in 2021. She graduated in 2023.
"I will forever be grateful to the Embassy of Sweden and UNFPA," Sharon says, her voice beaming joyfully. "They believed in me when I had nothing but a dream. Today, I’m living that dream, and it’s more than I ever imagined. Because of their support, I’m no longer just a girl with a dream, I am delivering life-saving care to the women and girls in my community and even in times of crisis, they know they can turn to me,” she says.
Today, Akidi is on the frontlines, delivering rights and choices to women and girls in her community. She provides skilled birth attendance, essential antenatal and postnatal care, counselling on family planning, and support for survivors of gender-based violence. In a region where health facilities are often understaffed and access to quality SRHR services remains challenging, her presence makes a powerful difference.
“One mother arrived after walking for five hours while in labour,” Akidi recalls. “She was exhausted, terrified. We delivered her baby safely, and when she held him for the first time, she said, ‘I didn’t think we would make it.’ That moment right there, that’s why I do this.”
Her voice breaks. “She could have died. Her baby could have died. But she didn’t, because I was there.”
At Pader Health Centre III, located in Pader district, Akidi assists more than 15 births a month, many of which might have ended tragically without skilled care. Beyond delivering babies, she educates young women about their reproductive rights, ensuring they are empowered to make informed choices about their bodies and futures.
Thanks to Sweden, skilling midwives, closing the gap
The main objective of the midwifery scholarship and bonding programme that began in 2010 is to directly address the human resource gap in midwifery, particularly in hard-to-reach districts, by training and deploying midwives who are bonded to serve in those areas for a specific period to increase the number of skilled midwives countrywide.
Through a strong partnership with local governments, eligible girls are identified and selected through a competitive process to receive full scholarships. As part of a sustainability model, beneficiaries are bonded to serve for two years in health facilities within their districts of origin after graduation. This ensures that communities directly benefit from the knowledge and care of the young women they’ve invested in, creating a cycle of empowerment, resilience, and improved health outcomes.
As of April 2024, the programme had trained a total of 462 midwives, with 79 percent of them qualified and deployed, primarily to underserved regions like Karamoja. By November 2024, over 600 midwives had been trained through funding from the Embassy of Sweden.
Impact of the bonding scheme
The deployment of these bonded midwives has significantly increased access to skilled care during childbirth in previously underserved areas by increasing the number of skilled birth attendants. The programme has also contributed to the decline in maternal mortality rates in supported regions and contributed to the overall decline of maternal mortality ratio in Uganda from 336 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2016 to 189 in 2022.
With support from the Government of Sweden, midwifery training institutions have also received equipment to improve the quality of education. Additionally, the midwifery curriculum has been reviewed to meet international standards, and midwifery tutors have been trained to improve the tutor-to-student ratio.
Today, midwives like Akidi are just filling a human resource gap, but are restoring dignity, saving lives, and giving voice to those often unheard. In a country where skilled birth attendance is essential but insufficient, Akidi is proof that investing in girls’ education and health is a strategy. Its impact. It’s justice.
To UNFPA and the Government of Sweden, Akidi has one heartfelt message:
“You didn’t just educate a girl. You empowered a community. You saved mothers. You helped me live my purpose.”
She pauses, then smiles.
“Because of you, I am now a midwife. And to the mothers I serve, that means everything.”
“'That moment—that’s why I do this..”
Thanks to the generous support from the Government of Sweden, today, Akidi and over 600 girls like her are making a lasting impact in underserved communities and playing a pivotal role in transforming healthcare delivery for the most vulnerable.
As she awaits formal placement within the government system or other service opportunities, Akidi’s journey stands as a powerful testament to the life-changing potential of strategic investments in girls’ education and women’s empowerment.
Moreover, this funding support from Sweden is directly advancing UNFPA’s vision of a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. Akidi’s story reflects the transformative change that is possible when women have access to quality care and empowerment, advancing maternal health and sustainable development, and ensuring that no one is left behind. Through Sweden’s invaluable contribution, we are one step closer to realising this vision, creating a future where all women have the opportunity to thrive.
Written by Cinderella Anena, Programme Analyst, Delivery of Rights, UNFPAUganda
