PURPOSE:
To share insights from U-VOL Foundation’s ValueHer Initiative, a hybrid, community-led training program designed to strengthen midwives’ skills in low-resource rural settings in Nigeria and Ghana by integrating global expertise, local mentorship, and innovative tools.

DISCUSSION:
The ValueHer Initiative addresses critical maternal health gaps in underserved regions. The program combines virtual instruction from global experts with in-person simulation training led by local midwives. Core curriculum includes Sexual Reproductive Health, the Helping Mothers and Babies Survive suite, Direct Relief midwife kits (endorsed by ICM), and Butterfly Network POCUS. Each midwife kit contains 61 essential items, enabling a single midwife to support 50 safe, facility-based births. A train-the-trainer model ensures local ownership and peer-driven expansion, allowing participants to replicate training within their communities.

EVIDENCE WHERE RELEVANT:
This report reflects preliminary findings from three rural hospitals in Nigeria and Ghana. Internal pre/post-test assessments of 37 maternal health providers revealed an average improvement in clinical knowledge and emergency response skills. While the overall average improvement was 45%, individual facility outcomes ranged from 40% to 55%, reflecting the impact of local context and implementation fidelity. Participants reported increased confidence using Butterfly Network POCUS and successfully managed critical cases such as postpartum hemorrhage using Direct Relief kits. Several providers have since initiated community-level training, further extending the program’s reach. The approach aligns with WHO and ICM recommendations emphasizing competency-based education, blended learning, peer mentorship, and context-appropriate technology to strengthen midwifery. Recent WHO guidance supports transitioning to midwife-led models that are flexible, people-centered, and equity-driven.

KEY MESSAGE:
Investing in midwife-led, community-driven training that integrates evidence-based learning practices, global expertise, local mentorship, contextually appropriate technology, and essential tools and equipment can significantly transform maternal health delivery in underserved regions. The ValueHer Initiative exemplifies how such collaborative, innovative approaches can empower midwives, strengthen health systems, and advance the global call for “One Million More Midwives.” Poster session 1 (Group A)