Samukeliso shortlisted for International Midwifery Award

Congratulations to Samukeliso Tennyson, a midwife at Northampton General Hospital, who has been shortlisted for an International Midwifery Award.

Samukeliso, known as Sam, is one of just three midwives to be shortlisted in the UK Midwife Achievement Award category.

Sam, who has been a midwife at NGH for 8 years, was recognised for her work on the Mpilo Life Project which she started 8 years ago to provide midwifery support in her home country, Zimbabwe.

The project was inspired by Sam’s passion for the heath of women and her work at NGH. Being a Mpilo baby herself and after training in the UK, Sam wanted to go back home to see how the maternity unit differed to a UK hospital.

During her yearly visits she works in the Mpilo hospital to teach midwives about how care is delivered in the UK, helps to provide resources for the hospital and completes renovation work.

Sam said “On receiving my nomination for the International Midwife Expo Award I felt honoured that the work we are doing on the Mpilo Life Project in Mpilo Central Hospital has been recognised as good enough for a nomination.

“The recognition means we will continue doing the good work and supporting Women in Zimbabwe as they go through the child bearing journey and to help reduce neonatal the maternal motility in Zimbabwe . Above all I am so grateful that my colleagues support and encourage our work.”

“Being a big organisation I felt very happy to be recognised for such an award. My work is being recognised out there by bigger midwifery groups.

“Every year has its own challenges but that’s what gives me the drive to go back and do it again. It drives me to think how can I improve each year. All we are doing is trying to support the midwives working there, teach a lot of skills, how we would deal with certain scenarios and take our knowledge to Mpilo.

“For the 7 years I’ve done been to Mpilo we’ve passed on a lot of skills and you can see that they are using our teaching. As well as the clinical teaching and support we also renovate the building to provide all round support for Mplio”

The winner of the award will be announced on Tuesday 12^th November.