One Year of Hope: Care for Expecting Mothers
Just one year ago, thanks to a generous donor, we launched one of the most impactful programs to ever take root at Kapsowar Mission Hospital: the First Free Prenatal Visit.
When the System Changed Overnight
In October 2024, the Kenyan government ended the Linda Mama program, which had provided free maternity and newborn care for years. Almost overnight, mothers who once received essential prenatal care were now asked to pay 1,200 KSH ($10 USD) per visit — the equivalent of several days’ wages.
The result was immediate and heartbreaking: mothers stopped coming to the hospital for prenatal care.
It wasn’t that they didn’t want care — they simply couldn’t afford it. For families already living day-to-day, that fee meant choosing between food for their children and a checkup for their unborn baby.
Dr. Kimberly Walhof meets in her office with Sheila, a mother who traveled hours to reach Kapsowar for care.
What Prenatal Care Really Looks Like Here
To understand the impact of this program, you have to imagine what maternal care in rural Kenya often looks like.
Many women don’t begin antenatal care until they’re 28–34 weeks pregnant. Some go through their entire pregnancy without an ultrasound. Women who’ve had prior C-sections often don’t schedule a repeat until they’ve already gone into labor. And unless something goes wrong, most will never see an OBGYN at all.
It’s not for lack of courage or care — it’s because they simply can’t afford it.
A Simple Idea with Life-Changing Results
In the face of that reality, our maternity team asked a bold question:
What if we made the first prenatal visit free again?
For just $25 per mother, we could cover everything needed for that first visit:
A full lab workup
An antenatal care book
Immunizations
A clinical consultation
An early ultrasound
It was a small idea with enormous potential — remove the first financial barrier, and maybe, just maybe, women would come back.
And they did.
Dr. Abby Bray giving an ultrasound to a patient in her office.
One Year Later
Because of one donor’s generosity, the program launched — and has since grown beyond what we ever imagined.
In its first year:
Over 700 women received free, dignified, high-quality prenatal care.
Dozens of high-risk pregnancies were identified early, preventing tragedy.
Mothers who might have stayed home came back — and left feeling seen, supported, and cared for.
Now, follow-up visits cost only $1.25, making ongoing care accessible for nearly every mother who walks through our doors.
Mothers wait to see Dr. Kim or Dr. Abby, our two OB-GYNs, for their prenatal appointments.
More Than Medicine
When a mother feels safe, respected, and known — that’s when true healing begins.
The First Free Prenatal Visit isn’t just about tests and ultrasounds. It’s about restoring trust between women and their care providers. It’s about giving mothers the chance to start their pregnancy journey with hope instead of fear.