Sadiya Mahamud, a pregnant woman from Kenya, swam through a dangerous river to reach a hospital so she could give birth to her child.
Having swum the river from her village to the hospital in Tana River County, the mom gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
On Monday, November 13, the infant, who was later given the name Mohammed Bilal, turned four days old.
The proud mother shared the story of how she felt the first labour pangs a few days before her due date. She chose to swim across the river despite the obvious hazard since she needed to get to a hospital quickly.
“I was just sitting in the tent with my aunt, telling stories and laughing, when I had a sharp cramp that brought me to my feet. I don’t know how I got out of the tent, but I knew it was time I got serious medical attention.”
Two people were said to have died in just two weeks as they crossed the Sadiya River after a heavy downpour.
According to her, a kind stranger saw her and dove into the river to assist her. With the help of a few guys and two other ladies who had dove into the river after her, her aunt clambered around and attempted to pull her out of the water.
“The pain was too much and the water seemed to be a relief, so I thought it would be better to stay inside until it went away, but that was not going to work with the women who were accompanying me.”
Because there were no cars on the road, getting to the hospital required a long, arduous trek of many km. Despite the excruciating agony, she endured it all.
The courageous mother gave birth not long after she arrived at the Madogo Health Centre.
Floods have been a persistent problem for the Madogo communities of Mororo, Bakuyu, and Ziwani in Tana River County.
A recent strong rain overflowed the River Tana bank, displacing more than 200 households and wreaking havoc on the surrounding countryside. Since they have lost everything and are now living in temporary shelters, the displaced families are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.
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