From Sponsored Child to Community Midwife: Priscilla’s Journey of Hope

Every morning, Priscilla ties on her white coat, slings a stethoscope around her neck, and steps into the busy antenatal ward at Kasambya Health Center III, the very place where she was born. 

For dozens of expectant mothers, her gentle presence is more than reassuring; it is a symbol of hope, strength, and what is possible when a girl is given a chance.

But Priscilla is more than just a midwife. She is living proof that dreams can take root, even in the humblest of beginnings, and blossom with the right support. In a community where many girls drop out due to early pregnancy or marriage, Priscilla’s story stands as a beacon for what happens when one child is sponsored, nurtured, and believed in.

Priscilla was only five years old in 2008 when her life changed. Alongside dozens of children gathered at their local church, she listened as World Vision staff explained the child sponsorship programme. Hope filled the air as children, including Priscilla and her four siblings, awaited news of sponsorship.

“I remember the day I was told I had been sponsored,” she says, her face lighting up. “I ran home shouting, I have a friend from abroad."

That friendship would become one of the pillars of her life. She wrote her first letter carefully, adding a drawing, unsure if she’d ever get a response. Months later, a reply came. 

“I read it over and over and showed it to all my siblings and friends,” she recalls. “Each letter gave me the encouragement to keep going.”

Raised by a single mother who balanced farming with part-time teaching, Priscilla’s childhood was not without challenges. In Kasambya, the odds were stacked against girls' school dropout due to early pregnancy, poverty, and a lack of supplies was common.

But sponsorship changed that trajectory. Through World Vision, Priscilla received school supplies, books, pens, shoes, and menstrual hygiene products. More importantly, she gained self-esteem and purpose through life skills training and spiritual nurturing.

“The support helped me stay in school,” she says. “Every letter from my sponsor reminded me that someone believed in me.”

Inspired by the poised and caring midwives she saw at the local health center, Priscilla set her heart on becoming one. “They looked so smart in their uniforms, and they saved lives. I wanted to be like them,” she recalls.

A turning point came when Priscilla received a monetary gift from her sponsor, the first financial support of its kind. With her mother’s guidance, they invested it wisely and launched the first bridal wear business in the community, renting out gowns to generate income. The venture helped support the family and keep the children in school.

“It wasn’t just about the money. It was about learning to create opportunities,” Priscilla reflects.

After completing secondary school, Priscilla enrolled in a midwifery course. Today, she is a registered and enrolled midwife, proudly serving at Kasambya Health Center III.

“It feels like I have come full circle helping mothers deliver safely in the same place where I was born,” she says.

Priscilla’s work now saves lives, inspires girls, and supports a healthier community. But her journey from a sponsored child to a frontline health worker also embodies the power of compassion, partnership, and persistence.

“Thanks to World Vision and my sponsor, I’m not just a midwife, I’m proof that with belief and support, anything is possible,” she says.

Today, she stands as a role model, showing that investing in one child can transform not just a life, but an entire community.

Story by: Mungu Jakisa Brian- Communications Officer