Fergusson Lemani

Why I need the iSTEPup Foundation 

I am very grateful to the iSTEPup Foundation for helping me to achieve my longtime dream of becoming a professional nurse/midwife. I would not face my future with certainty if it was not for their invaluable assistance. I am last born in the family of six children, I am only one who has ever achieved to reach tertiary level of education and one of my brothers managed to finish secondary level of education but did not proceed to tertiary because of financial constraints. My parents were doing a small business which could not finance our studies. I also take care of some children of my siblings and pay fees for two who are in secondary school. Therefore, having this opportunity is a big milestone in my life and our family.

Being a professional Nurse/midwife will help me to serve well in my country as there are high rates of neonatal mortality (at 26 per 1,000 live births) as well as maternal mortality (381 deaths per 100, 000) according to UNICEF Health Budget Brief 2023/24. Being a well trained and qualified professional nurse-midwife will help me to be among the few professional nurses against a huge population in my country and I will be willing to work in the remote areas where many maternal deliveries are still conducted by traditional birth attendants due to shortage of nurses and midwives. These high mortality rates are mainly due to obstetric complications during birth. Most people living in remote areas barely have access to good health services as they travel long distances and some are referred from health centers that are in these remote areas to access secondary health services for various medical complications such as obstetrics and other emergencies.

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