Meet members of the Mother Support Group assisting children and pregnant mothers

“I joined the Mother Support Group (MSG) in 2020 because community members trusted me to become the MSG coordinator in my village. This is due to my work as the Aldeia Chief (hamlet chief). So, I accepted their trust,” says Julio Ribeiro Simon, an MSG member and hamlet chief in Bada-Mori Village, Baucau Municipality.  

As Aldeia Chief, Julio has many responsibilities. He manages administrative matters in his community and helps ensure that everyone is protected and receives the support they need. He also works closely with the Suco Chief (Village Chief), under the supervision of the Ministry of State Administration. Although Julio is busy with his role as Aldeia Chief, he has taken additional responsibility by becoming a member of the MSG.  

During health and nutrition outreach activities in Bada-Mori Village, Julio helps distribute information materials, such as posters and brochures, to community members, especially pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. He also helps weigh children under five years of age and measures their mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) to assess their nutritional status. In addition, he helps health workers record the information correctly in the LISIO (mother and child health handbook).

Meanwhile, in a neighbouring village called Uma Ana-Ico, Miranda de Sousa Freitas is hard at work during an outreach activity. She has also served as the MSG coordinator in her village for many years. 

“I have been a member of the Mother Support Group since 2010, and I am still serving today. I am always happy to do this work, even though it is voluntary. This is because I am committed to supporting pregnant women and helping them stay safe during pregnancy and childbirth,” says Miranda.

“I always support pregnant women. If I find a serious problem during pregnancy, I immediately refer the woman to a health centre and accompany her to the hospital if further treatment is needed,” says Miranda.

Miranda recalls one case in which she supported a pregnant woman who was referred to a health centre and then transferred to a hospital. The woman eventually had to undergo a caesarean section, and her baby weighed only one kilogram at birth. Miranda stayed with the mother and baby at Baucau Referral Hospital for three weeks, helping to care for them until they were well enough to return home.

When it comes to outreach activities, Miranda supports the health and nutrition team with health promotion and education sessions. She shares information with parents about the importance of preparing nutritious meals using locally available foods and explains the benefits of breastfeeding for babies.

“I always strongly encourage mothers to cook food for themselves and their children using local agricultural products rather than buying imported ones, because not all imported food products are healthy,” says Miranda.

Miranda understands the situation of mothers in her community very well. She knows that limited knowledge about nutrition can sometimes lead people to buy food from local shops or kiosks that aren't fresh or healthy for daily consumption. 

In addition to promoting health and nutrition, Miranda also helps distribute micronutrient powder for children aged 6–23 months to help ensure they receive the amount they need each day for healthy growth and development.  

Miranda also supports pregnant women in her own village and in neighbouring villages, as many people know and trust her. When she receives a phone call from any pregnant woman in the vicinity, she responds straight away to provide the support they need, especially in urgent situations such as childbirth.

Julio explains this same dedication. He says, “Sometimes, I think about giving up my role as an MSG member because I also have responsibilities as the Aldeia Chief in my village. However, I take a moment to reflect and encourage myself to continue supporting pregnant women and children in my community through my work as an MSG member.” 

Both Julio and Miranda face many challenges in carrying out their roles as MSG members. However, they do not let these challenges discourage them. Instead, they remain committed to their work, ensuring that pregnant women and children under five in their communities receive health support and the information they need to care for their children, including guidance on health, nutrition, care, and love.

“Many times, I had to spend up to five days visiting a community that would normally take only one day to cover because people live far apart. Often, when I arrived, the family was not at home because they were working in their fields. Even during the rainy season, I still made the journey. I visited homes during the day and also at night when I received a phone call from a mother. When I visited homes, I performed mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) measurements on pregnant mothers and children aged 6 months to 59 months. If I found malnutrition cases, I referred them to the nearest health centre for further treatment. I also provided counselling to pregnant mothers and lactating mothers during the home visits,” says Miranda.  

After becoming MSG members, Julio and Miranda received training from the Ministry of Health (MoH) at the municipal level in Baucau, in collaboration with UNICEF and supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom Government. This helped them provide better support to pregnant women and children.

Through the training, Julio and Miranda learned about the importance of breastfeeding, how to use a MUAC, how to weigh children under five, and how to promote good health and nutrition. The knowledge and skills they gained have helped them perform their roles more effectively and given them greater confidence in supporting pregnant women and children in their communities. 

Both Julio and Miranda have hopes for the children in their communities.

“The most important thing I focus on is making sure that all pregnant women in my community give birth at a health facility, where they can receive safe care,” says Julio.

Miranda adds, “I hope that, through my work as an MSG member, I can help children in my community grow up healthy and strong. I also hope that, in the future, they will be able to go to school and achieve their dreams.”