While waiting for appointments at my gynecologist’s office, I used to enjoy looking at the doctor’s bulletin board, covered with pictures of babies that she had delivered. At some point, due to privacy concerns, she took down the display. Dignity:Liberia’s bulletin board is Facebook. We receive permission from our patients before posting pictures of them and their newborn babies.
I recently received pictures of three babies born in April. Two were delivered at Hope House. The third patient was transferred to a local hospital for delivery by C-section. Kulah Tokpah was grateful to Dignity:Liberia whose intervention resulted in her delivering a healthy baby girl. She appreciated the excellent, professional care she received from our nurse-midwives. After examining her, they determined she was at risk for complications if she delivered naturally. She told nurse-midwife Patricia Kollie Kpalo, R.N. that she wanted to name the baby after one of the people who had made all this possible. Patricia asked me if Kulah could name her baby after me. I got tears in my eyes. What an honor. I told her yes!
Board members and the staff that work at our compound in Todee are the face of Dignity:Liberia, but there is a foundation of support, without which we could not function. There are churches whose leadership and congregations made it their mission to help prevent obstetric fistula in Liberia. There are foundation boards that voted to support our funding requests. There are countless volunteers in Liberia and the United States, who have donated their time and talents to fistula survivors, as well as to the women who come to Hope House for prenatal care and delivery. There are Traditional Tribal Midwives who decided to work with our medical staff in the care of the women and girls from their villages. There are individuals who have supported us financially. This is only a partial list of all the support we have received.
Last week, people around the world celebrated Mother’s Day. From Mother’s Day 2025 to Mother’s Day 2026, 18 women gave birth at Hope House while 20 who had complications were transported to a hospital. Today we celebrate you for your part in giving so many women a happy Mother’s Day.
I recently received pictures of three babies born in April. Two were delivered at Hope House. The third patient was transferred to a local hospital for delivery by C-section. Kulah Tokpah was grateful to Dignity:Liberia whose intervention resulted in her delivering a healthy baby girl. She appreciated the excellent, professional care she received from our nurse-midwives. After examining her, they determined she was at risk for complications if she delivered naturally. She told nurse-midwife Patricia Kollie Kpalo, R.N. that she wanted to name the baby after one of the people who had made all this possible. Patricia asked me if Kulah could name her baby after me. I got tears in my eyes. What an honor. I told her yes!
Board members and the staff that work at our compound in Todee are the face of Dignity:Liberia, but there is a foundation of support, without which we could not function. There are churches whose leadership and congregations made it their mission to help prevent obstetric fistula in Liberia. There are foundation boards that voted to support our funding requests. There are countless volunteers in Liberia and the United States, who have donated their time and talents to fistula survivors, as well as to the women who come to Hope House for prenatal care and delivery. There are Traditional Tribal Midwives who decided to work with our medical staff in the care of the women and girls from their villages. There are individuals who have supported us financially. This is only a partial list of all the support we have received.
Last week, people around the world celebrated Mother’s Day. From Mother’s Day 2025 to Mother’s Day 2026, 18 women gave birth at Hope House while 20 who had complications were transported to a hospital. Today we celebrate you for your part in giving so many women a happy Mother’s Day.
Kathy Beth Stavinoha
Kathy Beth graduated from high school in Monrovia, Liberia in 1977. She retired from St. Edward’s University in 2022 after 21+ years of service. She lives in Brenham, TX with her husband and cat.
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