From Victim to Lifesaver: UK-Based Gambian Woman Turns Family Tragedy into Mission to Save Mothers and Newborns

Written by: Alieu Jallow

Despite progress made in recent years, maternal and infant mortality remain among The Gambia’s most pressing public health challenges. Many deaths linked to pregnancy and childbirth are preventable. Yet factors such as inadequate medical equipment, limited emergency obstetric care, and shortages of essential healthcare resources continue to place mothers and newborns at risk, particularly in underserved communities.

For one Gambian woman living thousands of miles away in the United Kingdom, the painful memories of losing five siblings to maternal health complications have become the driving force behind a remarkable mission to save lives.

Meet Amie Jarju, a Gambian healthcare professional based in the United Kingdom who manages services for children with brain injuries. Rather than allowing tragedy to define her, she has transformed her personal loss into a lifelong commitment to supporting mothers and babies in The Gambia.

While many members of the Gambian diaspora spend their holidays relaxing, socialising, and reconnecting with family and friends, Amie’s annual visits home are marked by long and demanding night shifts at the maternity ward of Brikama Regional Hospital. There, she works alongside healthcare professionals, assisting women through labour and delivery while helping to care for newborn babies during their first moments of life.

A Fatu Network reporter on Monday, May 25th, caught up with Amie at around 23:00 inside the labour ward while on a separate assignment. Speaking to our reporter, she revealed that, as the only surviving child of her parents, she had turned her family’s tragic experience into a meaningful initiative dedicated to saving the lives of mothers and children, with a particular focus on improving maternal healthcare services in The Gambia.

“My mother and father had six children, and unfortunately, out of those six, I am the only one who survived. Losing my siblings is the motivation and driving force behind everything I am doing today,” she said.

Over the past decade, Amie has dedicated her time and resources to supporting Brikama Regional Hospital. Through her foundation, Join Hands to Save a Baby, she has contributed to the construction of a modern theatre designed to save more lives, particularly among women requiring Caesarean section deliveries. The foundation is also overseeing the construction of three maternal healthcare facilities in rural communities.

“Currently, we are constructing three maternal healthcare facilities in rural communities, including Ndemban, Kandunku and Niamina Katimina. In addition, we have procured essential medical supplies and supported renovation works at health facilities in Banjulinding, Mandinaring and several other communities.

“Our approach is to continuously identify gaps and challenges within the healthcare system and implement practical interventions that can help improve maternal and newborn care while ultimately saving more lives,” she explained.

As the lone surviving child of her parents, Amie believes that a lack of electricity, oxygen machines or other essential medical resources should never be the reason an innocent baby loses its life after nine months and ten days of pregnancy. She is therefore calling for greater investment in The Gambia’s healthcare sector to strengthen maternal and newborn care services across the country.

“There is a need for greater investment in the healthcare sector from both the government and citizens. The government cannot do it alone, and citizens cannot do it alone either. However, if we join hands and work together, we can achieve far greater success in saving the lives of our children.

“These babies we are striving to protect today are the doctors, teachers, ministers and presidents of tomorrow. By protecting them, we are protecting the future of our nation. That is why we must continue to invest in our healthcare system, because saving a life is one of the most important things we can ever do,” she stated.

The Fatu Network could not obtain an official reaction from hospital management. However, midwives, nurses on duty and mothers receiving care at the facility all expressed gratitude for Amie’s dedication and support, describing her as a dependable partner whose contributions continue to ease the burden on both healthcare workers and patients.

For Amie Jarju, every baby safely delivered represents more than a medical success story. It is a victory over the painful memories that once defined her life and a testament to the power of turning personal tragedy into a mission of hope. Through her work, countless mothers and newborns are being given a chance at life, proving that even the deepest wounds can inspire extraordinary acts of service.