By Lucinda Congolo, Chloë Noonan
In Mozambique, Elsa begins each day at a rural health center by connecting with the team on duty, reviewing patient notes, and preparing the delivery rooms.
But at night, her responsibilities take on new layers of complexity and risk.
With no reliable electricity, Elsa relies on flashlights or the glow of a mobile phone, if it has enough charge. “We have to save the battery so we can use the flashlight during delivery,” she says. “It’s hard to suture by flashlight. Sometimes, we wait until morning.”
She recalls one particularly difficult night when a mother arrived in labor around 10 p.m. Neither Elsa nor her colleague had enough battery left. “We had to borrow the relative’s phone for light,” she says. “But imagine if he hadn’t been there. We would have delivered in darkness.”
Beyond the medical risks, working without light brings fear. “When it’s 6 p.m., you can’t stay outside, it’s scary,” Elsa explains. With no security present, midwives lock the doors and cautiously question anyone who knocks. “We ask, ‘Are you a pregnant woman?’ before opening the door, because it could be a thief.”
The darkness affects everything, including communication. “In the dark, we don’t have that detailed conversation we should have,” Elsa says. “We can’t observe each other. I can’t see her expression, and she can’t see mine. Communication becomes unhealthy.”
Despite these challenges, Elsa is known for her warmth. She often meets mothers in the community who recognize her, even if she can’t always remember each face. “They greet me on the bus or in the market—‘Do you remember me? You helped with my birth.’” One woman even brought her toddler over to say thank you years later.
For Elsa, light would be transformative. “It would be a joy to be able to receive a Solar Suitcase here at my center. I won’t feel alone anymore. It’s hard to work in the dark.” she says. “A lot would change. I’d have better communication with my patients. And I would feel very happy.”
Elsa is one of countless midwives who persevere, even in the dark. At We Care Solar, we believe that no midwife should have to work without light.
