From Fear to Confidence: Julmira's Journey Toward a Safer Birth in Remexio, Aileu

For many years, 38-year-old Julmira da Silva believed that giving birth at home was simply part of life. Living with her husband, Bernardo Martins, and their five children in the remote Sub-Village of Ai-Kurus, Village of Tulataqueu, Remexio Administrative Post, Aileu Municipality, the family had limited access to health services due to distance, poor transportation, and a lack of reliable maternal health information.

As a housewife who also helped her husband on their farm, Julmira went through all five pregnancies without regular antenatal care and delivered each child at home. One delivery nearly cost her life.

"I was very afraid when I gave birth at home because we live far from a health facility and there was no one available to help me," Julmira recalled. During labour, she experienced severe bleeding, dizziness, and blurred vision, highlighting the life-threatening risks women face when skilled care is unavailable.

Everything changed when Community Health Volunteers (CHVs), locally known as VSK, visited Julmira's home through the Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) campaign supported by the BEmONC programme. During the visit, they explained the importance of antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, birth preparedness, recognising danger signs during pregnancy, and encouraged Bernardo to actively support his wife throughout her pregnancy.

The visit transformed the family's understanding of maternal health.

Now expecting their sixth child, Julmira regularly attends Servisu Integradu Saúde Comunitária (SISCa) consultations to monitor her health and her baby's development. Together, she and Bernardo have prepared a birth plan and are committed to delivering at a health facility with skilled health professionals.

"Now we know what to prepare before the baby arrives and where to go if there are any problems. We feel much more confident and supported," Julmira said.

Bernardo has also become an active partner, ensuring Julmira attends health services and helps prepare for a safe delivery.

Julmira's experience reflects the wider impact of the SBCC initiative across six municipalities. Through trained community health volunteers, the programme reached 9,500 households with life-saving information on maternal and newborn health. As a result, 1,488 households with pregnant women now agree that delivering in a health facility is the safest option, while 3,212 households can identify danger signs during pregnancy. Home visits also encouraged 663 people to seek essential health services.

Recognising that safe motherhood requires family support, the programme engaged 5,231 husbands and male decision-makers, alongside community and religious leaders, teachers, police, youth leaders, and village councils. It also provided sexual and reproductive health education to 15,140 adolescents and young people.

For Julmira, knowledge replaced fear with confidence. Her story demonstrates how trusted community volunteers, accurate health information, and family support can empower women to make informed decisions and access life-saving care. As Timor-Leste continues expanding community-based maternal health services, stories like Julmira's show that changing behaviours at the household level can help ensure every pregnancy is safer and every mother has the opportunity to give birth with dignity, skilled care, and hope.