Tumpe Mwakasungula, nurse midwife
Tumpe Mwakasungula has worked as a nurse midwife for 16 years in the Masukulu community of the Rungwe district. Tumpe enjoys serving in the community, saying, “…The community appreciates my work and I’m happy to work in this community.”
The Community Health Fund (CHF), a voluntary insurance program, is growing, a sign that the community is accepting the services provided by the Masukulu dispensary. Tumpe finds educating villagers about the benefits of preventive care, the CHF, and the right to equal access to health care to be her most challenging work.
Working with the HIV population is rewarding. “I am proud of the people living with HIV, when I give them counseling and they start attending clinic, and I see that their health is getting better and better,” she said. “I feel happy. This also has an impact on my life, as I live a happier life because of them.”
The biggest challenge in Masukulu is the unstable electricity. The facility relies on solar electricity, which is weather dependent. “If there is no sunshine, the electricity is not strong, henceforth the vaccines and other medicines are not in a safe place,” she said. “It will be great if it is connected to a national [electrical] grid.”
Tumpe offers thanks to God for her career as a nurse midwife. “During my childhood, I was dreaming to be a nurse and midwife,” she said. Her dream came true and the village of Masukulu gained a dedicated nurse midwife.
