Last month, I traveled to Kigali to attend the Women Deliver conference. I boarded a plane for the first time and traveled to a foreign city, thousands of kilometers away from my home village of Sarakawa in Togo. Now, as I settle back home among my patients and peers, the experience feels like something out of a dream.
I found myself on panels, advocating for the pivotal role of Community Health Workers in women’s sexual and reproductive health. I engaged with heads of state, leaders of prominent organizations, and influential funders. Yet, where many would have been intimidated, I was not. I felt confident and prepared because I knew what I was talking about. I see it every day, I know what the solutions are for women to access the care they need, and I’m proud to stand among the Heroines of Health 2023.
Preparing for Kigali: gathering my thoughts and courage
I remember the day when my supervisor Stephane Bilim reached out and told me that Integrate Health had nominated me for the Heroines of Health award and that Women in Global Health was honoring me with the prize. I was over the moon. I was proud. Not only was my employer recognizing my qualifications and achievements, but I was going to be celebrated on the global stage! And this is where it hit me. The stress and self doubt kicked in. What does this mean? What am I expected to do? What am I supposed to say? Admittedly, it was a roller coaster.
Thankfully, I had Stephane. True to his role as supervisor, he supported me every step of the way, from moral support to taking preparation calls with me, coordinating interactions, and scheduling interviews. I feel grateful for him and for Integrate Health’s staff, who, throughout the preparations, reminded me that I had nothing to fear. As we drafted talking points and rehearsed, I realized that all I had to do was to share my expertise, an expertise I’ve cultivated from years working as a Community Health Worker in Sarakawa.
With passport in hand and accompanied by Integrate Health’s Deputy Director, Anita Kouvahey-Eklu—a previous Heroine thwarted by visa issues from receiving her prize last year—I set off to Kigali.
Speaking engagements and the Heroines of Health gala
I arrived in Kigali confident and determined to share my story and that of my patients and colleagues and to make my voice heard. I was invited to speak at a parallel session organized by the Alliance on Gender Equality and Universal Health Coverage about how critical gender equity is to achieve Universal Health Coverage. I shared the harsh realities my patients in Togo face to access prenatal care and family planning services. I shared the story of a woman in her third trimester who had never had a prenatal checkup. She had one child but was in her fourth pregnancy. I referred her to a midwife who monitored her. She gave birth at the hospital to a healthy baby boy.
I told this story because I wanted the audience to realize that Community Health Workers are essential to save the lives of women living in remote areas. Without us, countless women would remain unreachable. We’re the linchpin for achieving Universal Health Coverage, especially given the current shortage of health workers. But we need to be trained, equipped, supervised, and yes, salaried. This is what I advocated for throughout the week. I’m proud that I shared my story with the world and advocated for my profession.
One evening, I attended the Heroines of Health gala, which was magical. Between the photoshoot, the award ceremony, and the food, I felt celebrated. I heard heads of state speaking, as well as the Director General of the World Health Organization. I met and exchanged with Community Health Workers from other parts of the continent. It was rich, joyful, and moving. All kinds of people came to talk to me, congratulating me and wanting to share stories from their own countries and communities. I felt empowered and proud of myself, my work, my accomplishments. I remembered my patients, the children who call out my name when I pass by, my colleagues who also do this critical work, and I thought to myself: “For all of them, be proud of this moment. It’s your hard work, overcoming hardships to do this job and save lives that got you here.”
Taking back the learning: some post-Heroines of Health reflections
I’m truly thrilled and grateful for this opportunity. The Women Deliver conference was amazing, and the Heroines of Health gala exceeded all my expectations. I met incredible people who talked to me about what the community health system looks like in their countries, what responsibilities Community Health Workers have, and what hurdles they face. These conversations and interactions were really the highlight of my trip. I learned a lot from them, learnings that I couldn’t wait to share with my colleagues back home.
There was however one thing that I regret from this experience: I don’t speak English. And English is the dominant language. Not just during conferences like these but also more broadly, amongst funders and large organizations. It wouldn’t be fair not to recognize all the efforts deployed to ensure that I felt included. During sessions, interpretation was available, and during the gala, someone was translating for me too. But the reality is that I could have gained much more from this experience if I could speak English. Language is a barrier for francophone countries in Africa. Interpretation is great, but it’s not the same as having a direct conversation with someone or answering a question directly during a panel. I feel that French speakers on the global stage sometimes face a disadvantage because of this, and it results in missed opportunities.
I want to continue to be an advocate, and I want the opportunity to have my voice heard again. I’m not sure if this is feasible, or how realistic it is, but now, I want to learn English so that next time, my voice can resonate even louder.