Dr. Zsakeba Henderson’s Mission in Kenya
Zsakeba Henderson, MD, FACOG, Senior Medical Advisor at the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality (NICHQ)™, recently traveled to Kenya to work with Africa Mission Services (AMS). She shared her experiences from her time spent with AMS and the communities she served, describing it as a transformative journey.
As Dr. Henderson prepared for her journey to Kenya, she crocheted 50 beanies. News of her trip spread among our NICHQ partners, and thanks to Twylla Dillion, MBA, PhD, President & CEO of HealthConnect One, whose mother contributed additional beanies, a total of 75 beanies were made! These beanies were set to be donated to newborns at the AMS Community Health Clinic and Birth Center in Kenya.
As part of this mission, Dr. Henderson and a group of volunteers constructed a middle school building and provided volunteer medical services at the AMS Women’s Health Center and in local communities through “bush clinics,” where they treated over 100 patients a day, addressing a myriad of problems in men, women, and children. Dr. Henderson’s youngest patient was only 6 weeks old, while the oldest was in her 80s. Some patients could not be adequately treated on the spot due to the limited resources available. However, even the small amount of care they could provide made a significant impact on many people’s lives.
During her time working at the AMS Women’s Health Center, Dr. Henderson provided prenatal care and welcomed three newborn girls into the world, two of whom she delivered herself. “There is so much that is the same about how we manage labor and delivery, but some differences as well. I am so grateful for this opportunity to learn from these amazing Kenyan midwives, and to share in this special moment for these families. Each little girl has a hat that I made special just for them!” Dr. Henderson shares.
Dr. Henderson’s transformative experience has only strengthened her work through NICHQ and Equity Safety & Wellbeing (ESW) Consultants with a steadfast commitment to expanding midwifery care in the U.S., uplifting the value of community-rooted birth workers, and advancing maternal health by centering care models that reflect cultural humility and respect. “Safe, respectful, and person-centered maternity care is not a luxury, it’s a right, and we have so much to learn from our global partners,” she says as she returns to her work in the U.S.
