{"id":2000116402,"date":"2026-06-20T20:55:49","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T18:55:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/?p=2000116402"},"modified":"2026-06-20T21:00:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T19:00:11","slug":"the-mama-guide-launched-to-strengthen-health-literacy-and-empower-families-in-rwanda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/the-mama-guide-launched-to-strengthen-health-literacy-and-empower-families-in-rwanda\/","title":{"rendered":"The Mama Guide launched to strengthen health literacy and empower families in Rwanda"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The launch brought together government representatives, healthcare professionals, development partners, academics, civil society actors, and private sector stakeholders, all underscoring the growing importance of accessible and reliable health information in improving public health outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Marie Chantal Umunyana, Founder and CEO of Umubyeyi Elevate, said the initiative was driven by the urgent need to close persistent gaps in access to trusted health information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday is a significant day not just for Umubyeyi Elevate, but for every family in Rwanda that has ever faced a health decision without guidance, without answers, and without someone to say: you deserve to know,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Umunyana emphasized that despite advances in healthcare systems, preventable maternal deaths remain a global concern, often linked not only to medical challenges but also to delayed access to information and care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA woman dies every two minutes from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth,\u201d she said. \u201cMany of these deaths happen not because we lack healthcare professionals or medical knowledge, but because information arrives too late, warning signs are not recognized, and care is sought too late.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She further highlighted findings from Umubyeyi Elevate research, which revealed significant gaps in health literacy. More than 40 percent of respondents reported difficulties accessing timely health information, over 60 percent demonstrated gaps in reproductive and maternal health knowledge, and more than 90 percent relied on online sources for health information without certainty about its accuracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To address these challenges, Umubyeyi Elevate developed The Mama Guide as a structured set of eight guides covering preconception care, antenatal care, pregnancy, labor and delivery, postpartum care, breastfeeding and infant care, family planning, and menopause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Umunyana explained that the publication was the result of years of consultation, clinical review, community engagement, and collaboration with healthcare professionals, researchers, and institutional partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe believe that informed families make healthier decisions, healthier decisions strengthen households, and stronger households build resilient communities,\u201d she said. \u201cHealth literacy is not a luxury, it is a right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event also featured a panel discussion focusing on health literacy, maternal wellbeing, self-care, innovation, and partnerships in strengthening public health systems. Participants emphasized that improving health outcomes requires not only healthcare services but also empowered communities equipped with accurate knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The guest of honor was Ms Jeanne Umuhire, Deputy Director General of the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), who underscored the central role of health information in improving wellbeing and shaping healthier societies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe often say that health begins at home, but for health to truly begin at home, girls and women must have access not only to healthcare services, but also to information they can trust, understand, and act upon,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms Umuhire noted that knowledge plays a decisive role in shaping health behaviours, including when families seek care, how they prevent illness, and how they respond to health challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKnowledge shapes decisions. It influences when mothers seek care, how families prevent illness, how communities respond to challenges, and ultimately, how nations improve health outcomes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She further highlighted Rwanda\u2019s continued investment in strengthening its healthcare system through workforce development, infrastructure expansion, and universal health coverage, while stressing that collaboration across sectors remains essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo single sector or institution, no matter how capable, can address every health challenge alone,\u201d she noted. \u201cWhen mothers are empowered, families are strengthened. And when families are strengthened, communities and nations thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms Umuhire also commended initiatives such as The Mama Guide, noting that they complement national efforts in preventive healthcare, maternal and child health, and community empowerment by improving access to reliable information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As The Mama Guide begins its rollout across homes, schools, universities, workplaces, and health facilities, stakeholders expressed optimism that it will serve as a trusted companion for families and contribute meaningfully to improved health literacy and better health outcomes across Rwanda. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can access your copy today at\u00a0https:\/\/umubyeyi.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
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Umubyeyi Elevate officially launched The Mama Guide<\/em> on June 19, 2026, at the Kigali Convention Centre (KCC).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The guide unveils a comprehensive health education resource designed to strengthen health literacy and support families in making informed decisions on maternal, reproductive, and family health.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The launch brought together government representatives, healthcare professionals, development partners, academics, civil society actors, and private sector stakeholders<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Dr. Marie Chantal Umunyana, Founder and CEO of Umubyeyi Elevate, said the initiative was driven by the urgent need to close persistent gaps in access to trusted health information.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The guest of honor was Ms Jeanne Umuhire, Deputy Director General of the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Ms Umuhire underscored the central role of health information in improving wellbeing and shaping healthier societies.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Einat Weiss, Israel\u2019s Ambassador to Rwanda, was among the high-profile guests at the event.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Umubyeyi Elevate officially launched The Mama Guide on Friday, June 19, 2026, at the Kigali Convention Centre (KCC), unveiling a comprehensive health education resource designed to strengthen health literacy and support families in making informed decisions on maternal, reproductive, and family health.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":139,"featured_media":2000116431,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[151,69],"byline":[201],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-2000116402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books","tag-editors-choice","tag-homehighlights","byline-rania-umutoni"],"bylines":[{"id":201,"name":"Rania Umutoni","slug":"rania-umutoni","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":139}],"contributors":[{"id":201,"name":"Rania Umutoni","slug":"rania-umutoni","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":139}],"featured_image":{"id":2000116431,"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/06\/K00A1752.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","width":1500,"height":844,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/06\/K00A1752.jpg","width":1500,"height":844},"medium":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/06\/K00A1752.jpg","width":1500,"height":844},"medium_large":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/06\/K00A1752.jpg","width":1500,"height":844},"large":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/06\/K00A1752.jpg","width":1500,"height":844},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/06\/K00A1752.jpg","width":1500,"height":844}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000116402","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/139"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2000116402"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000116402\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2000116466,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000116402\/revisions\/2000116466"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2000116431"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2000116402"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2000116402"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2000116402"},{"taxonomy":"byline","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/byline?post=2000116402"},{"taxonomy":"hashtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hashtag?post=2000116402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}