Fatima's Story

Three days after Fatima gave birth to her son, she began to feel wrong. A fever crept in, her energy collapsed, and by the fourth day she could barely sit up. In her community, such symptoms were often quietly endured — attributed to the normal exhaustion of new motherhood and the will of God.

But a Nashen Care Foundation postnatal volunteer was scheduled to visit Fatima on day five as part of the Foundation's routine follow-up programme. The volunteer recognised the signs of puerperal sepsis — a serious postpartum infection — and acted immediately, helping Fatima's family arrange urgent transportation to a health facility.

Fatima received antibiotics and fluids in time. The doctors later told her family that another day or two without treatment could have been fatal.

While Fatima recovered, Foundation volunteers also ensured her newborn was being properly fed and monitored. They sat with the family to explain infant care, signs of danger to watch for in a newborn, and when to seek help — knowledge that Fatima, once recovered, absorbed with the intensity of someone who understood exactly what was at stake.

"If they had not come to check on me, I do not think I would be here. I was too weak to know I needed help. They knew for me."

Today, Fatima and her son are both healthy. She has become a vocal supporter of postnatal care in her community, speaking openly about her experience and urging other new mothers not to ignore the warning signs. Her story is a powerful testament to what is possible when communities have access to timely, consistent health support — and to the quiet, life-saving power of a follow-up visit.