KAMPALA, Uganda: Mama Tulia Ministries, a Ugandan organisation supporting vulnerable mothers and premature babies has earned international recognition after its founder received the Innovation and Collaboration Award at the Global Foundation for Care of Newborn (GFCNI) Summit in Germany.
Mama Tulia Ministries was honoured for its efforts to close critical gaps in newborn care by supporting preterm babies and their mothers after they leave hospital.
Although advances in neonatal care have improved survival rates, many premature babies in Uganda still face serious risks once discharged. Infections, unsafe home environments, and limited caregiver knowledge continue to threaten their survival.
Mama Tulia focuses on addressing this often-overlooked stage of care.
“Our work begins where hospital care ends,” said founder Isabelle Furaha in a statement after receiving the award. “We walk with mothers and babies through one of the most vulnerable transitions of their lives.”
Using a continuum-of-care approach, the organisation provides hospital-based support, home follow-ups, caregiver training, and specialised services such as Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) screening, a condition that can cause blindness if untreated.
To date, Mama Tulia has supported more than 10,700 mothers and babies, carried out over 658 home visits, and facilitated more than 500 hospital engagements to strengthen pre-discharge care.
Its impact is especially notable in addressing ROP. The organisation has screened over 2,000 babies, identified 262 cases, and successfully treated 243—helping prevent avoidable blindness among vulnerable infants.
Earlier this year, Mama Tulia launched the Tulia Tender Nest Transition Home, a temporary facility designed to stabilise high-risk mothers and babies before they return home. Since February, it has supported 20 mothers and 24 babies with structured care, monitoring, and caregiver education.
Beyond medical care, the organisation also tackles social factors affecting health outcomes. It has distributed more than 234 water filters to reduce infection risks and runs psychosocial support programmes, including initiatives for teenage mothers and increased father involvement.
Health experts emphasise that such integrated approaches are vital in low-resource settings, where post-discharge care is often limited or fragmented.
The recognition at the GFCNI Summit highlights both the organisation’s innovation and the importance of collaboration in delivering care under constrained conditions.
“This award reflects the collective effort of our staff, volunteers, partners, and communities,” Furaha said. “It shows that even with limited resources, impactful and scalable solutions are possible.”
Despite these achievements, Mama Tulia says significant challenges remain. The organisation is seeking support to expand its transition home model, extend ROP screening to more districts, and strengthen community-based programmes for young mothers and families.
For many families, the impact is life-changing. In communities where survival after preterm birth is uncertain, Mama Tulia is helping shift the focus from mere survival to the possibility of healthy, thriving childhoods.
