The Hina Gana Foundation has distributed birth kits to over 100 indigent pregnant women in Gauraka, Niger State, as part of efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality among vulnerable women in underserved communities. The intervention took place during the fourth edition of the foundation's annual Birth A Child outreach programme, which also included vocational empowerment and start-up support for 50 widows.
Foundation's Mission and Inspiration
Hadiza Mohammed, founder and CEO of the foundation, stated that the initiative was inspired by her traumatic experience witnessing a woman die during childbirth due to a lack of basic delivery materials. 'There were no gloves, no pads, no delivery kit, nothing. I watched a woman die trying to give birth, and I told myself no woman deserves to die while giving life,' she said. The outreach aims to support women who cannot afford essential items for safe childbirth. 'We deliberately target indigent pregnant women, those who genuinely cannot provide these materials for themselves. These are women for whom even the most basic delivery items remain out of reach,' Mohammed explained.
Expansion to Gauraka
The programme, initially implemented across the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory, was expanded to Gauraka following appeals from community leaders over worsening maternal health challenges. 'We were contacted by the district leadership here regarding the condition of women in this community. The need is overwhelming, and we had to respond,' she added. Mohammed stressed that poverty remains a major driver of preventable maternal deaths in rural communities, noting that many women approach childbirth without necessary resources. 'Giving birth is one of the riskiest things a woman can do when basic support systems are absent. Government must treat maternal health with greater urgency,' she said. She called for improved public investment in maternal healthcare, expanded social protection systems, and increased access to reproductive health and family planning services for low-income women.
Community and Expert Support
The traditional ruler of Gauraka commended the foundation, stating that many women in the community face dangerous childbirth conditions due to poverty. 'Many pregnant women here suffer because they have nothing prepared for delivery. Sometimes it is the smallest things that lead to tragedy,' he said. He urged public officials and privileged Nigerians to emulate the foundation's intervention by investing more in maternal healthcare support for rural women. Clinical psychologist and founder of Gairlity Foundation, Simbiat Nathalie Folorunsho, praised the initiative as a timely response to Nigeria's maternal health crisis. 'Nigeria accounts for about 25 per cent of maternal deaths globally. Interventions like this are not optional, they are necessary,' she said. Folorunsho noted that the inclusion of vocational training and start-up support for widows reflects a sustainable empowerment model. 'You teach people how to fish, not just give them fish. The fish will finish, but the skill remains,' she said.
Beneficiary Reactions and Future Plans
Beneficiaries expressed gratitude, describing the birth kits as critical relief amid economic hardship. Aisha Suleiman, one recipient, said the intervention eased her fears about childbirth. 'I had nothing prepared before now. This support has removed a huge burden from me. I am no longer afraid,' she said. Nigeria remains among countries with the highest maternal mortality burden globally, with experts attributing many preventable deaths to poverty, delayed care, poor birth preparedness, and inadequate access to essential maternal supplies. Mohammed said the foundation plans to expand the initiative further in subsequent editions to reach more vulnerable women across underserved communities.
