In the remote town of Kuru Boob in the Somali Region, Fatuma Mursa understood that distance was more than a physical measure. It was a barrier that confined not just people, but to information. For years, her decisions about her own body, her pregnancies, and her family’s health were guided by a patchwork of tradition, whispered advice, and personal guesswork. In an environment where formal health services were out of reach, reliable knowledge about maternal and reproductive health was equally scarce. This silence was fraught with unspoken fears and preventable risks.
“When you don’t have information, you don’t know when something is dangerous,” Fatuma explains, articulating the quiet anxiety that once governed her life. A minor ache could be normal, or it could be a signal of crisis. Without a foundation of facts, every pregnancy was a journey into the unknown, and every health decision was made in the shadows. This lack of empowerment was a shared reality for the women around her, creating a cycle where limited access to care was compounded by a lack of understanding about when care was urgently needed.
The arrival of light
With funding from Japan, UNFPA launched a humanitarian response project in March 2025 aimed at improving the health, well-being and protection of women and girls in peaceful societies of the Somali region of Ethiopia. Through the support of the project, a mobile health clinic has been providing lifesaving services in remote areas, where access to static health facilities has been quite challenging. The mobile health clinic team, consisting of five trained health workers, visit the kebele once per week and deliver information and basic maternal and newborn care services in collaboration with a community volunteer in the localities.
A profound shift began when health workers, as part of a mobile health initiative, started holding regular community conversation sessions. These were not fleeting visits but dedicated conversations held under familiar trees or in communal spaces. The health workers spoke clearly, using relatable terms, and fostered an atmosphere where questions were not just allowed but encouraged. For Fatuma, these sessions were a revelation.
“I learned things I had never been told before,” she says, her voice reflecting the power of that awakening. The training covered vital ground: the importance of antenatal care, clear danger signs during pregnancy and childbirth, the basics of postnatal health, and the options available for family planning. This was not merely a transfer of information; it was an act of equipping. The complex and often mysterious realm of health was broken down into understandable, actionable knowledge. “I now understand when to seek help and how to protect my health,” Fatuma states, marking her transition from uncertainty to agency.
The true value of this empowerment was tested and proven in the most personal way. During a subsequent pregnancy, Fatuma noticed specific, subtle signs her body was showing. In the past, she might have waited, doubted, or hoped they would pass. Now, armed with clear knowledge from the training, she recognized them as early warnings. She acted immediately, seeking support from the mobile clinic team. Their prompt assessment and intervention prevented what could have escalated into a serious, life-threatening complication for both mother and child. The knowledge she gained did not just inform her—it protected her.
Yet, Fatuma’s story did not stop with her own salvation. The knowledge, once planted, began to spread organically through her community. She naturally became a trusted resource for other women. Neighbors and relatives, still navigating the old landscape of uncertainty, began coming to her with their questions and concerns.
“Now other women come to me with questions,” she says proudly. “I tell them what the health workers taught us.” In this way, Fatuma transformed from a beneficiary into a community health advocate, a vital link extending the reach of the mobile clinic’s mission. She helps demystify healthcare, encourages others to attend sessions, and reinforces the life-saving messages, creating a ripple effect of awareness.
Empowerment as the foundation of health
Fatuma Mursa’s journey underscores a fundamental principle: sustainable health is built on a foundation of knowledge. Access to care is incomplete without the empowerment to understand when and why to seek it. The mobile health initiative’s focus on education has done more than distribute facts; it has fostered confidence, voice, and self-determination.
For Fatuma and the women of Kuru Boob, these training sessions provided more than information—they provided a new lens through which to view their own health and futures. They replaced fear with understanding, and passivity with control. In equipping women with knowledge, the initiative has sown seeds of resilience that will continue to grow within families and across the community for generations, proving that sometimes, the most powerful medicine is understanding itself.
