Through CARE Nigeria’s Enhancing Resilience in Frontline Community Healthcare (EnRiCH) Project, 30-year-old health worker Wasilla Abashe has gained new knowledge, confidence, and digital tools to support safer deliveries and healthier mothers, proving that when frontline health workers are empowered, communities thrive.
At 30, Wasilla Abashe, a Community Health Extension Worker (CHEW) at the Maternal and Child Health Center in Charanchi Local Government Area of Katsina State, has dedicated the past five years of her life to improving the health and well-being of women and girls in her community. Every day, she stands at the frontline, offering care, comfort, and guidance to expectant mothers who depend on her knowledge and skill for safe deliveries. Yet, like many frontline health workers, she faced challenges that sometimes limited her confidence.
“One of my biggest challenges has always been understanding all the processes involved in conducting safe deliveries without complications,” Wasilla admitted. “Sometimes, I had to rely on colleagues with more experience, even for simple procedures, and that made me feel less confident in my work.”
For Wasilla, participating in the Enhancing Resilience in Frontline Community Healthcare (EnRiCH) Project is a defining moment in her career. The project, implemented by CARE Nigeria in partnership with the Katsina State Ministry of Health, the State Primary Health Care Agency (SPHCA), and Life Helpers Initiative (LHI), is strengthening the capacity of frontline health workers (FLHWs) like Wasilla through training, digital learning, and financial literacy and empowerment initiatives.
As part of the project, Wasilla participated in a three-day Essential Care Package training designed to equip frontline health workers with practical, life-saving knowledge. The training deepened participants’ understanding of safe pregnancy and delivery practices, among other critical maternal and newborn health topics. With this support, Wasilla now approaches her work with renewed knowledge and confidence.
“I am genuinely happy to have learned so much… particularly about safe deliveries,” she said with a smile. “Through the training, the digital learning, and the empowerment we have received from CARE and its partners, I believe we will see real reductions in maternal mortality and complications in the communities we serve.”
Through the EnRiCH Project, CARE Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to empowering and recognizing frontline health workers as the cornerstone of resilient health systems. CARE continues to invest in digital innovation, financial inclusion, and capacity building to ensure that health workers – especially women – have the tools, confidence, and support they need to deliver quality care in underserved communities.
Wasilla’s story mirrors the purpose and importance of the EnRiCH Project; empowering frontline health workers with the right skills, tools, and confidence to save lives and build healthier, more resilient communities.
By continuing to invest in the capacity and empowerment of frontline health workers like Wasilla, partners and stakeholders can help accelerate progress toward safer pregnancies, healthier mothers, and stronger health systems across Nigeria. Now more than ever, sustained support and collaboration are needed to ensure that every health worker is equipped to deliver lifesaving care where it is needed most.
