By A Special Correspondent
For Tegemea Awadhi, Amrat Dimanga and Asha Haruna, receiving maternity kits and khangas through Yas Tanzania’s Tumaini Campaign at Kaliua District Hospital in Tabora Region meant spending less on preparing for childbirth.
The three women, all residents of Kaliua, said the supplies had eased the financial burden on their families, particularly those with limited incomes. The assistance provided items they would otherwise have needed to purchase, freeing up money for other household needs.
Their experience highlights one of the campaign’s most immediate benefits: helping expectant mothers meet some of the costs associated with childbirth. But the initiative also addresses a broader challenge – equipping public health facilities to cope with demand for maternity services.
“The last time I gave birth here, I struggled to get the things I needed because my family was not financially well off. I came without a maternity kit and had to use old khangas. This time, the support has made things easier for mothers like me. I thank Yas for the help and hope other organisations will also support mothers in this way,” Ms Dimanga said.
Her experience reflects the financial pressures some families face when preparing for childbirth, when the cost of basic supplies can add to the anxiety surrounding delivery. The other two Kaliua mothers echoed her sentiments, highlighting how access to maternity kits and khangas had eased the burden of preparing to welcome a newborn.
For these mothers, the significance of the intervention lies not in its monetary value alone, but in the practical relief it offers at a vulnerable moment. While such donations cannot resolve the wider challenges facing maternity services, they can help families meet some immediate needs and allow mothers to focus more on childbirth and the care of their newborns.
Yas Tanzania says the employee-led programme has reached 15 health facilities across the country, with more than TSh190 million invested in maternity supplies and medical equipment.
At Kaliua District Hospital, Medical Officer-in-Charge Dr Dismas Bulunja said more than 2,650 women had given birth at the facility between January and September 2026, illustrating the demand for maternity services. He said the donated equipment would help address some of the hospital’s needs and support the delivery of services to expectant mothers.
Equipment meets demand
The challenges extend beyond Tabora. At Mwera Pongwe District Hospital in Central Unguja, Zanzibar, some 300 deliveries take place each month, according to Dr Pathan Mohamed Pathan, an obstetrician and gynaecologist at the facility.
He said shortages of medical equipment remained a challenge, given the number of women seeking maternity services.
“We attend to around 300 expectant mothers who come here to give birth every month. This is a significant number and requires adequate equipment to ensure we provide quality and safe care for both mother and child. This support has come at the right time and will greatly help us improve our services,” he said.
The donation to Mwera Pongwe included maternity examination beds, wheelchairs, bedsheets, delivery trays and khangas. Such equipment can help address practical needs in maternity wards, although its overall effect depends on the facility’s existing resources, staffing and the extent to which the supplies meet identified gaps.
Similar needs were reported at Ubungo District Hospital in Dar es Salaam, where the campaign was launched. Medical Officer-in-Charge Dr Chrispin Kayola said the donation had strengthened the hospital’s capacity to meet maternity service needs.
Dr Olivia Donald Shirima, head of the hospital’s maternity ward, said the donated examination beds, bedsheets, aprons and wheelchairs had boosted staff morale and helped healthcare workers attend to expectant mothers more effectively.
“It feels good to give birth on clean, new bedsheets and be cared for by motivated health workers. It makes the experience more comfortable,” said Asha Juma of Ubungo Kibangu, smiling as she breastfed her newborn son, Kassim Juma.
Dr Kayola said that Ubungo received nearly 150 expectant mothers monthly during the low season, with about half requiring surgical care. The figures from the three facilities illustrate the demands placed on maternity services across Tanzania.
A growing geographical footprint
Other reported beneficiary facilities include Mbarali District Hospital, Kisesa Health Centre in Magu, Mwanza; Makole Health Centre in Dodoma; Korogwe District Hospital in Tanga; and Same District Hospital in Kilimanjaro Region.
At Kibaoni, Ifakara Town Council Director Pili Kitwana said the donation would help address shortages of essential equipment at a health centre serving a large population.
The campaign’s reported distribution figures comprise 1,350 maternity kits, 1,350 delivery trays, more than 200 aprons, over 20 hospital beds, more than 100 pairs of bedsheets and over 2,000 khangas.
The supplies serve different purposes. Maternity kits help mothers prepare for childbirth, while beds, examination equipment and bedsheets support the facilities where maternity care is provided. Aprons provide workwear for healthcare personnel, and wheelchairs can assist with patient movement.
Yas has put the programme’s investment at more than TSh190 million.
An employee-led response
Tumaini originated with Yas Tanzania employees who sought to contribute directly to community needs. The company’s Head of Tanganyika Zone Kamara Kalembo said the initiative was intended to extend the company’s standards beyond its telecommunications services to its engagement with communities.
The employee-led model gives staff a direct role in supporting a social intervention, while the focus on maternal healthcare targets a practical need shared by families and public health facilities.
For Awadhi, Dimanga and Haruna, the immediate benefit was reduced spending on childbirth preparations. At Kaliua, Ubungo and Mwera Pongwe, healthcare workers say the equipment will help them respond to maternity service demands. “For families already facing financial pressures, the cost of preparing for childbirth can add to the anxiety of welcoming a new baby. By helping mothers access essential supplies and supporting facilities with practical maternity needs, targeted interventions can ease some of that burden and help mothers approach childbirth with greater dignity and peace of mind,” said Anton Massanja, Chief Human Resources Officer at Yas Tanzania.
