TNT photojournalist scoops award

The New Times Publication’s Photojournalist Timothy Kisambira is the winner of this year’s White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood Action of the Month Citizens’ Voice Photo Contest.The one-month contest required participants to submit a photo story with the location where it was taken. Kisambira said he is very excited for being the winner since it was a global contest. “This is a motivation and I’m very passionate about safe motherhood, no woman should die while giving a life,” said Kisambira after recieving the award.Kisambira’s work titled “Bundle of Joy” portrays a mother with her newborn at Muhima Hospital in Kigali. the woman is one of the millions of Rwandan mothers who have access to Mutuelle de Santé as a result of the Government’s commitment to allocate 15% of the National Budget to the health. Mutuelle de Sante is a communal health insurance cover that has been widely seen as one of the most effective policies in the country. Alphonsine Mukarugema, president of the Rwanda Forum of Female Parliamentarians (FFRP) and the Chairperson of the White Ribbon Alliance (WRA) for Safe Motherhood, said they were grateful for this kind recognition of the photojournalist. “The Photo portrays the steps that have been taken by Rwanda to encourage women to give birth at health centres thus saving the life of the mother and child in case of any complications,” Mukarugema said. According to MDGs Progress and the macroeconomic state of Rwanda 2012, the maternal mortality has dropped drastically from 1071 deaths per year in 2000 to 487 in 2010 In regards to the photo “Bundle of Joy”, Chloe Coulthard, a face book member of The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood commented that: “That is the best expression to see on the face of a mother. She looks proud and in love.”The White Ribbon Alliance is a global network that has come together to prevent the needless deaths of women and girls in pregnancy and childbirth.