Nov 2022 Newsletter: Meet Katharina Mueller, Our Newest Board Member as She Travels to Uganda
Katharina, Sylvia, pregnant with twins, and Senior Mentor Midwife Assumpta Mubiru (left to right)
We spoke to Katharina Mueller, Babies and Mothers Alive USA board member, who recently returned from a trip to Uganda.
Hi Katharina, tell us a little about yourself.
I’m Katharina, I was born and raised in Hamburg, Germany but for the past few years I have mostly lived abroad working on a wide variety of very interesting projects. I studied International Business as an undergraduate and hold an MBA in Strategic Entrepreneurship.
In 2017 I contracted TB (tuberculosis), which was a life-altering experience. Not only was I forced to face my own mortality at a very young age, but I also confronted the harsh reality that by an accident of birth, I had ready access to life-saving drugs and expert medical care that millions of people with the same disease do not. In 2018, I left my six-figure salary, moved to Colombia and then Namibia as a volunteer, following my passion for health equity for women and children.
From a young age, I have engaged in grassroots community work. I was fortunate to serve as an intern at the United Nations in New York in 2019 and worked as a UN online volunteer supporting Tanzanian girls at risk for female genital mutilation. In 2020, I founded Power of World Women, International. With a global team of fifteen change makers and intersectional feminists, we have organized open dialogues, and podcasts, encouraged creative storytelling and consulted/mentored young change-makers around the world.
What inspired you to join the Board of Directors of Babies and Mothers Alive?
Ever since my volunteering abroad, I’ve been looking for an organization to dedicate myself to long-term. It has been challenging to find one that truly aligns with my passion and values, one that has both a strong impact and is locally led.
In my life, I have been blessed by several fortunate coincidences. In May, the stars must have been aligned when I signed up with Catchafire, an online matching service between non-profits and volunteers. My plan was to engage in a month-long project to help expand the board. I had no idea that I would actually be a part of the solution, but “when you know you know.”
Since the moment the Zoom camera went on and I started talking with Marc Sklar, BAMA’s co-founder, I just knew that this was meant to be a long-term relationship and partnership. I immediately canceled my next two meetings, promised Marc that after joining the board I’d visit Uganda, and suggested concrete actions and tasks on how to help grow BAMA. It was such an easy decision to join the board.
From day one, it has been an honor to serve such a wonderful foundation creating huge impacts, and working alongside an even better staff and fellow board members. As a board, our main role is fundraising, providing oversight, and strategic planning. I engaged in multiple projects over the summer, such as BAMA re-branding, designing pitch presentations for important stakeholders, website improvement, marketing strategy, and serving as the Chair of the External Affairs/Communications Committee. In less than six months, I turned my promises into action, and I couldn’t be happier and prouder of our work. Then this month, before starting a new job and moving to Berlin, I hopped on a plane and flew to Uganda!
Now that you have just spent a week with our staff and partners in Uganda, what were your impressions? What was most inspiring about what you experienced?
To say that I had a great time would be an understatement. I left with inspiration, many lessons learned, the utmost appreciation, respect, as well as hope for a better future. I got to meet BAMA beneficiaries, visit health facilities, simulate the MAMA Rescue Program, name a baby, host sessions with the local BAMA staff, attend a MAP Ambassador training, and so much more.
Ever since joining the board, I have been hearing stories from others, and that is great, but seeing it firsthand is an entirely different experience, exceeding all my expectations of the extent of BAMA’s impact.
We are really changing lives and dramatically improving the health of thousands of women and children. It was heartbreaking at times, but so fulfilling; every life we’ve saved is more motivation to keep going. Spending time with our staff and the mothers we serve, I could see where every dollar and Euro donated goes and what impact it is having.
What inspired me the most was the hope that our communities share despite severe poverty, and the outstanding passion of our BAMA staff. They say time flies when you’re having fun. This week just flew by way too fast and I’m already so excited about my next visit. I am so grateful to the entire staff for creating such core memories, being the most welcoming hosts, and inspiring leaders. They are the true heroes, and I am so lucky to learn from them.
Where do you see BAMA in 5 years? In 10? In 25? How do you envision using your passion, knowledge, and skills to help us achieve our shared vision?
I see such HUGE potential for BAMA to expand and change lives, not only for the communities we serve but also for our staff. BAMA is a great example for other NGOs and the local and national governments to adopt our innovations in other regions. We are already creating powerful strategic partnerships with other organizations that share our vision of quality health care for all. I see our government partners becoming full owners of the BAMA health interventions, requiring less and less interaction and guidance by the BAMA staff. This will allow BAMA to position itself as a regional leader in maternal, reproductive, and child health.
In 5 years:
3 million USD funding, our local staff grows from 42 to 60.
BAMA scales from four districts to six.
Our board grows from 12 members to 20 with a diversity in membership from the global community.
In 10 years:
Greater investment by the local and national government, the Mama Rescue Project is fully paid for by the government.
Expand to all 9 districts in the Masaka region.
We have created a national network of reproductive, maternal, and child health NGOs, sharing knowledge and skills.
In 25 years:
BAMA is a thought leader in maternal and child health, recognized internationally, speaking at the WHO and conferences, collaborating with big players, teaching other changemakers and NGOs how to have a real impact.
We have a presence throughout Uganda and in the East African region, working in neighboring countries like Rwanda, Tanzania, and Kenya.
As I look ahead there is so much untapped potential in our BAMA Program model. I see many opportunities to leverage my knowledge and experience in social entrepreneurship, feminist activism, and communication for change. I am so excited about working with our Ugandan partners to turn the dream we all share, of health equity for all women and children, into a reality.
WATCH AS KATHARINA EXPERIENCES THE JOURNEY OF A WOMAN IN LABOR TRANSPORTED BY MAMA RESCUE
<div class="sqs-video-wrapper" data-provider-name="YouTube" data-html="
[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZiY8b_P5zU&w=854&h=480]
">
