While many celebrate Christmas and New Year holidays with family, sharing joy and reflecting on the year, for Seraphine Nyirahabineza a 27-year-old midwife from Karongi District, these days are simply another chapter in her work of helping people bring new human life into the world. With every birth she helps deliver there is no holiday in her calling. It’s a profession she has embraced wholeheartedly, the one that gives her purpose and fulfillment in life. ALSO READ: Elevating midwifery: A transformative journey to reach zero preventable maternal deaths in Rwanda Nyirahabineza who works at Kibuye Referral Hospital proudly celebrated being able to help in the delivery of four of 186 babies born Christmas day in the Western Province on last and more than 300 newborns in total throughout 2024. But her career is not about numbers, it’s about the lives she touches and the communities she helps thrive. Her work usually starts from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, but her schedule knows no pause. The demands of the job are unpredictable. Some days she works longer hours with no breaks, responding to urgent calls and other days she skips lunch if mothers have been waiting for care. Her commitment to ensuring mothers and babies receive the best care never allows her to rest until her work is done. ALSO READ: Nearly 900 babies born in Rwanda on Christmas Day Her definition of successful festive season “For us, Christmas and New Year’s joy comes from seeing mothers deliver safely, I was on duty this Christmas and I’ll be here on New Year’s too,” Nyirahabineza said. “Midwifery has always been my calling, I even applied twice to make sure I could join the nursing and midwifery program at the University of Rwanda-Huye Campus where I graduated in 2021. Despite the challenges like long hours, I love helping mothers bring new life into the world and seeing the babies I’ve delivered grow.” The path to becoming a midwife wasn’t an easy one for her. Growing up in a rural setting with limited access to healthcare resources, Nyirahabineza saw firsthand the challenges mothers faced during childbirth. This fueled her passion to pursue a career in midwifery, a profession that would allow her to make a real difference in the lives of women and children in her community. ALSO READ: Midwifery scholarship programme to address scarcity of healthcare specialists Her journey took her to the University of Rwanda where she earned an advanced diploma in midwifery and since then she has continued to build her expertise through specialized training in obstetric care and family planning. How Nyirahabineza’s usual working day looks like As a midwife, Nyirahabineza’s day begins with preparing the delivery room ensuring everything is ready for the expectant mothers she will serve. Throughout the day, she provides comprehensive care attending to postnatal mothers, guiding new antenatal clients on delivery plans and offering counseling on breastfeeding, infection prevention, family planning, immunizations and newborn care. Each mother receives her full attention and she includes fathers or other family members in the process ensuring they are well-informed and supportive. In the afternoons, after attending to mothers she ensures all necessary reports are completed including monthly returns for antenatal care, family planning and immunizations. Her attention to detail and dedication to documentation ensure that the healthcare system remains efficient and responsive to the needs of the community. Motivated during challenging moments Nyirahabineza’s compassion and empathy create lasting bonds with the mothers and families she assists. “When I see the babies grow up, I feel fulfilled, it’s a constant reminder that my work goes beyond the delivery room,” she added. Her dedication to her profession hasn’t come without its challenges. The midwife often finds herself on call around the clock with few breaks and no predictable schedule. Yet, she remains determined to provide the best care possible, finding balance in her life by dedicating 20 minutes each day to exercise and ensuring she gets enough rest. Her goal is to further her education, hone her skills and make an even greater impact in her community. For Nyirahabineza, every day spent serving mothers and their newborns is an opportunity to make a difference. Rwanda’s healthcare system has made significant strides in improving maternal and child health with at least 308,000 new births recorded in 2024. As of 2024, there are more than 15,000 registered nurses.
