Student Profile: Shellie James
Shellie James is pursuing her Graduate Certificate in Global Health.
After nearly three decades in corporate communications, Shellie followed her heart in 2024 to pursue a long-held dream to work in global health. She is currently completing her practicum with fieldwork in Uganda, connecting rural villages with vital transportation to health centers and hospitals. She also serves as a communications strategist with Pipeline Worldwide, a nonprofit dedicated to delivering sustainable health solutions to communities living in extreme poverty in northern Uganda.
A Story of Maternal Healthcare on Uganda's Northern Border
by Shellie James
Hello!
I'm writing to you from Moyo, Uganda, located in the north close to the border of South Sudan. I'm here with Pipeline Worldwide, an organization dedicated to bringing sustainable health solutions to underserved communities, as part of my practicum.
Documenting Struggles and Solutions
We've logged some long days in Moyo, working on a film that focuses on the challenges of maternal and neonatal healthcare. The red dirt roads, humid air, and vibrant markets of Moyo provide the backdrop to some inspiring stories.
We've interviewed healthcare leaders, a fabulous midwife named Sister Teddy from Laropi, and several teens (mostly single) who are expecting – some for the second time. These young women are enrolled in an antenatal care class where they'll learn the importance of caring for themselves and their babies throughout their pregnancy. Their faces show both apprehension and determination as they prepare for motherhood.
Sister Teddy: Delivering Life in Darkness
Sister Teddy's story was a common one. She described how the power goes out sporadically at her health center, and often the babies come at night. In the dim glow of an unreliable cell phone, she must make life-or-death decisions.
"Sometimes I deliver babies using only the light from my phone," she told us, her voice steady despite the weight of her responsibility. We wanted to help immediately when we heard this and supplied her with a headlamp – a simple solution with immediate impact.
She also described how she may be the sole provider on duty, and when more than one mother delivers at the same time, she has to do everything she can to ensure safe and successful deliveries. The strain in her eyes as she recounted these experiences was palpable, as was her dedication.
Moyo Home for Babies: A Second Chance
Today we interviewed Victoria, the director of Moyo Home for Babies, who described how she and her staff look after babies whose mothers have died during childbirth. The center itself is modest, and we were greeted by a parade of toddlers and babies being led by their caregivers singing “It’s nice to meet you!”
Postpartum hemorrhage is one of the most common causes of maternal mortality in the Moyo district, despite the availability of medicine to prevent this. Many women don't have access to this lifesaving medicine due to cost.
The women who work at the center are passionate about giving these children a solid start in their young lives. If extended families are not able to take the child, the director places the child with registered foster families. Watching these caregivers cradle and nurture these infants who have faced such profound loss from their earliest moments has been one of the most moving experiences of my trip so far.
Tricycle Village Ambulance Program: Bridging the Distance
Transport to a healthcare facility is a major barrier to care here in the Moyo district of Uganda. Pipeline funded the purchase of tricycle ambulances for two villages—Aya and Kweyo. These three-wheeled vehicles, modified with a covered patient area in the back, navigate the rough terrain better than conventional ambulances can. These simple vehicles have become lifelines for both expectant mothers and other patients in need of urgent care.
I will be meeting with the ambulance committees of these villages this week to discuss the results of the program so far. Early indicators show more adoption in Aya than Kweyo, and we are looking into why that is. We're also working on more effective data collection methods, as currently the ambulance driver documents transport runs on paper forms.
Until next time from Moyo,
Shellie