Student Profiles

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Student Profiles:

Law and Politics

In many developing countries women have no voice and are denied basic rights during their pregnancy. We encourage politicians and lawyers to enter the STM program to improve laws in their countries to ensure that mothers have basic rights and receive the care they need during and after their pregnancy.

Student Profile

Honourable Beatrice R. Barikurungi

As a Member of Parliament in Uganda, Honourable Beatrice R. Barikurungi is using her STM training to increase funding to improve health care facilities for expecting mothers. She has met with district officials to discuss family planning and solicited maternity equipment for two health centres in her district. She is also educating other political leaders to prioritize reproductive health issues.

student profile

Honourable Winfred M. Komuhangi

Honourable Winfred M. Komuhangi is an MP in the Parliament of Uganda. She is using the mass media to help advocate for maternal health and educate people on safe motherhood. She is the president of the Women’s Parliamentarian Association with 103 female MPs in this organization. She is using her position of influence to prioritize safe motherhood within Parliament and its activities.

student profile

Honourable Sylvia N. Ssinabulya

Honourable Sylvia N. Ssinabulya is a Member of Parliament for Mityana district, Uganda. After receiving STM training, she introduced new maternal care legislation within the national political policy. She also initiated new legislation in Uganda to get maternal care on Uganda’s budget for the first time. She is known throughout her district and the Parliament for her advocacy on behalf of mothers. She has been asked to speak at numerous international conferences about safe motherhood including meetings such as the G-7 in Japan.

student profile

Honourable Mary Paula K. Turyahikayo

Honourable Mary Paula K. Turyahikayo is an MP in the government of Uganda. She has used her training with STM to create a safe motherhood radio program in Western Uganda, educate health workers and leaders, and provide two ambulances in her riding. She is using her position in Uganda to push for more support of safe motherhood programs. The four Ugandan MPs in the STM program have organized themselves together to carry out sensitization sessions around safe motherhood in their districts.

student profile

Leonard Imanishimwe

Leonard Imanishimwe works in the office of Uganda’s First Lady as the Acting Executive Director.

student profile

Ivan Tibenkana

Ivan Tibenkana is using his influence as a mayor and school principal to educate his community about saving mothers in the Jinja area. Ivan started a safe motherhood club at his secondary school, in which students can learn about safe motherhood and perform skits to teach others in their community about the importance of practicing safe motherhood. Ivan also started safe motherhood community groups in rural villages for men and women to support expecting mothers in their community. A micro-finance loan helped set up a small dairy farm to assist expecting mothers to pay for their hospital fees.

student profile

Rasto Kawesa

Rasto Kawesa works for the local government in Rakai (a district in South-western Uganda) and is using his position to educate the community about reproductive health and the danger signs during pregnancy. He also started outreach programs for antenatal care and immunization programs and uses education to encourage women to deliver in hospitals.

student profile

Major Emmanuel Rwebangira

Major Emmanuel Rwebangira is an army official – a key person because wives of military men are amongst the most neglected in the country. He was able to share his knowledge of safe motherhood to his church. He has also advocated for more students within the military to take the STM program.

student profile

Baseka Yusuf

Baseka Yusuf works for the local government as a Medical Officer in the Western Uganda. He used his STM training to do training and health promotion in clinics to help educate the community about safe motherhood. He also created a radio program about maternal health in Kasese town.