A FORMER Silsden midwife is swapping her usual workplace again for a remote village in Africa where she will work as a volunteer.

Emily Hill first visited Atiak in Uganda two years ago, working with Mother Health International (MHI) – a charity dedicated to providing relief to pregnant women and children in areas of disaster, war and extreme poverty.

The organisation is committed to reducing maternal, infant and child mortality rates through its sustainable birth centres, where local midwives work side by side with visiting ‘resident’ midwives from around the world, such as Emily, who is planning to make a second visit in November.

On her original trip, which lasted three months, Emily assisted with the birth of 140 babies.

She said: “I came across the charity by chance and then I found myself following it and its work before I decided I really wanted to get involved.

“This is an area of Africa that was hugely affected by the terrors of the Lord’s Resistance Army, a guerilla group led by Joseph Kony back in the 1990s, which was responsible for abducting children and forcing them to become child soldiers or into the sex trade. It was only in 2008 that it became safe for the people to return to their villages.

“I was so impressed by the work that goes on that I set about going out there. The birth centres are eco-friendly and have a low impact on the environment. They are solar-powered and produce is grown on site. The mothers who come to give birth can travel from up to 20km away,and they have a driver who can collect them and take them home after the birth, saving them from walking huge distances.

“The midwives work on a rota basis so the centres are staffed seven days a week throughout the day and night, but there is also an outreach programme where community midwives visit the local villages.”

And it is thanks to Emily that the midwives can get out and about to reach the mums-to-be easily.

Before her initial trip to Atiak, she raised £6,000, some of which she used to buy 41 bicycles.

She is now fundraising again ahead of her second trip, this time taking out supplies, such as cloth nappies, hats and clothing for the newborns, and ‘Moon’ (menstrual) cups for the mums.

Emily added: “All of these basics are important and much needed, and I have been really fortunate in that a local business has provided me with free freight so I now have a large container I am able to fill.

"I am also hoping to replace the birth centre’s fridge, too, when I get out there!”

Emily, who has been a midwife for eight years, is based at Bradford Royal Infirmary’s Birth Centre.

"I am really looking forward to returning to Uganda and the birth centre there as it is a wonderful environment," she added.

"The women really trust their bodies to give birth and they are mobile right up to the point of birth. It is a very gentle kind of labouring.”

Emily’s travels have also taken her to Nepal, where she recently visited her parents, who have been working with Voluntary Services Overseas for the past two years.

You can follow Emily’s travels and her volunteer work on Twitter at @mobilisemidwife and on Facebook at facebook.com/mobiliseamidwife.

E-mail Emily at emily.hill@bthft.nhs.uk to support her by donating baby clothing – particularly vests, T-shirts and knitted hats.