When TenderHands began working in rural Tanzania in 2015, the statistics were sobering. Maternal mortality in some of the districts we serve was among the highest in the country. Mothers were delivering at home without skilled attendance. Health workers lacked the training to manage obstetric emergencies. And communities — particularly women — felt invisible to the health system.
What Changed
Nine years later, the picture looks very different. In the communities where we work, facility delivery rates have risen from below 40% to over 85%. We have trained more than 200 healthcare providers in emergency obstetric and newborn care. And through our community health worker program, over 2,500 mothers received at least four antenatal care visits during their pregnancies in 2024 alone.
Before TenderHands came, I was afraid to go to the clinic. The staff did not treat us with respect. Now it is different. — Mother, Morogoro Region
The Road Ahead
Despite this progress, significant challenges remain. We continue to encounter women who have experienced loss, communities still struggling with distance to health facilities, and health systems stretched thin. But the progress gives us hope — and the evidence tells us that community-centered approaches work. In 2025, we plan to expand our EmONC training to three new districts and deepen our community health worker program in areas where maternal health indicators remain weak.