Winter in the high mountains, 2014: Because of the persistent bad weather in Mugu, a young woman paid a very high price.

THROUGH PREGNANCY WITHOUT ADVICE OR HELP
Jaukala is originally from Shreekot, a village that was then still located outside our project area in Mugu. The young woman had come to the small district capital of Gamghadi a few months earlier to find work. Since her husband is blind and rarely has a job, she is the family’s sole breadwinner. Despite being well into her pregnancy, she worked day in and day out at the market, carrying heavy loads from morning to night. She never had a prenatal checkup; there was no one to support her throughout her pregnancy.

NO CHANCE OF MEDICAL HELP, EVEN IN AN EMERGENCY
Jaukala was already close to giving birth when she suddenly began suffering from severe pain. She went to the hospital in Gamgadhi, the only one in the entire mountainous region, which serves 55,000 people. The doctor diagnosed that the baby was in a breech position and recommended immediate surgery. However, due to a lack of technical, medical, and personnel resources, this was impossible in Mugu.

A PREVENTABLE DEATH
In a desperate hope of reaching the lowlands in time, Jaukala, suffering from severe bleeding, made the long trek with her husband to the airstrip in Thalcha. There she endured three full days of pain, inadequate food, and bitter cold. Due to the persistent snowfall, no planes could take off or land. Jaukala lay beside the runway and lost her child.

A PAINFUL STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL
Shortly thereafter, our team on the ground learned of the tragic incident. Our health assistant, Pahal, immediately rushed out to find the woman and help her. A few hours later, he found Jaukala—by then completely weakened—with her husband in a rented room. There was blood everywhere. Without medical treatment, her life was in immediate danger due to severe blood loss. So they immediately carried Jaukala to the hospital in Gamgadhi. Pahal arranged for medical care and secured the necessary medications and blood transfusions, as these were not available at the hospital. The young woman remained in the hospital for a week; Back to Life covered all the costs and then paid for her to stay in a room in Gamgadhi for another week so she could regain her strength before her difficult daily life began anew.

THE GOOD NEWS
The scope of our projects in Mugu has steadily expanded, and since the summer of 2020, the women of Shreekot and the neighboring villages have had access to a birthing center dedicated to maternal and child health. This ensures that women are not left to fend for themselves during pregnancy and childbirth.

After being admitted to the Gamghadi Hospital, Jaukala receives additional care from Pahal, the nurse at our birth center

Both Jaukala and her husband received sufficient food and special supplements, as neither of them had eaten for a long time. We also procured more blankets and commissioned an additional nurse and our midwife Saroja to take care of Jaukala on a regular basis.

Today, a few days later, she is already doing a little better, but it will still be some time before she has processed the dramatic experiences and will be physically able to work again.

During lunchtime, Jaukala takes a rest in the sun in front of the hospital. Here, too, she is regularly supported by a Back to Life employee.

Until then, we will give the couple the best possible support by taking care of accommodation, food and the best possible medical care for the region.

Jaukala’s story shows once again the difficult and tragic living conditions of women in Mugu. Unfortunately, we cannot always prevent the worst, but together we can try to spare as many women as possible a fate like the one Jaukala suffered, or at least to alleviate their suffering.