Across the quiet villages and lively towns of Zanzibar, a quiet but powerful movement is reshaping maternal and child health. WAJAMAMA—a local, women-led nonprofit—is redefining community care through its transformative Uzazi Bora Pamoja Group Care Model. This innovative approach brings pregnant women together in small, supportive groups where they receive prenatal care, mental health education, newborn support, and more from government clinicians trained through WAJAMAMA’s clinical fellowship.

The results speak for themselves. Preterm birth rates among participants have dropped to an extraordinary 1.8%, and maternal anemia has been nearly eliminated. More than 96% of mothers now attend the recommended eight prenatal visits—an unprecedented achievement that shows the power of locally rooted, evidence-based care in action.

Of course, exceptional care begins with exceptional providers. Through mentorship and simulation-based training at Zanzibar’s first high-fidelity simulation center, WAJAMAMA equips nurse-midwives with the skills, confidence, and clinical excellence needed to deliver safe, respectful, and evidence-based maternity care. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the State University of Zanzibar, and global academic partners, the organization is helping build a stronger, more resilient maternal healthcare workforce—one capable of sustaining and scaling impact across the region.

To learn more, support WAJAMAMA’s mission, or get involved, visit wajamama.org and join a growing movement powered by care, compassion, and community.