Where We Work
North Central Nigeria — home to some of the country’s most underserved maternal health zones.
Why It Matters
Nigeria has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the world. In rural areas, nearly half of all births occur without a skilled health provider. Barriers like poor infrastructure, limited transportation, under-resourced health systems, and a shortage of trained maternal health workers leave many women without access to essential, timely, and quality care.
U-VOL Foundation’s ValueHer Initiative in Nigeria directly addresses these challenges through a multi-level approach—combining health workforce training, community education, and investments in local maternal health infrastructure.
Empowering the Maternal Health Workforce
We collaborate with local health leaders to upskill essential frontline workers:
- Emergency obstetric care
- Maternal and newborn resuscitation
- Respectful maternity care
- Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS)
- Essential medication & midwife kits
We also strengthen referral networks, connecting TBAs and midwives with skilled providers to manage high-risk cases safely.
Bridging Home and Clinic Care
In Nigeria’s middle belt and northern regions, inconsistent antenatal care, high poverty levels, and low facility birth rates put women at risk. We support:
- Upskilling Midwives, TBAs, CHWs & Healthcare Providers to recognize and refer complications early
- Building trust between TBAs and formal health systems
- Enhancing collaboration between community members and clinics
These strategies bridge the gap between home-based care and facility-led services, creating safer pathways for mothers and newborns.
Investing in Rural Health Facilities
Facilities matter. ValueHer helps strengthen rural clinics by:
- Supplying midwife kits and life-saving medications & POCUS
- Providing clean water and sanitation infrastructure
- Renovating maternity wards in critical areas
- Integrating training into long-term facility capacity-building through train the trainer models
Community Education for Women
We prioritize direct health education for women across every stage of life—from adolescence through motherhood to midlife and beyond. Our community-based sessions cover:
- Pregnancy care and birth preparedness
- Recognizing danger signs and high-risk conditions
- Postnatal care, family planning, and women’s wellness
- Midlife and menopause education, addressing common symptoms, misconceptions, and access to support resources
In Their Words
Support ValueHer in Nigeria
Your gift can help us equip more providers, reach more women, and save more lives.
Support ValueHer in Nigeria
Your gift can help us equip more providers, reach more women, and save more lives.
The session was enlightening and timely. It refreshed our knowledge on key issues like maternal mortality and better equipped us to respond. Thank you to the YoU Foundation.
Dr. Victor Ochefu, MBBS
Medical Officer St Charles Hospital