Leveraging Empathy to Open and Strengthen Communication Channels in Mali

Abstract for Preformed Panel Presentation from the 2022 International SBCC Summit in Morocco:

"Midwives in Mali are overworked, stressed and work in difficult situations. An emotionally strained and exhausted midwife might not always treat their clients empathetically. Between 2020 and 2021, ThinkPlace worked with Jhpiego to improve the interactions between midwives and pregnant women by 1) helping midwives cope with trauma and chronic stress and 2) improving pregnant women's experiences of maternal health services. Through a journey map, we defined the key interactions between midwives and pregnant women and, using human-centered design, developed three interventions between midwives and clients by using empathy to improve quality of care and empathetic service delivery. The first intervention leveraged existing support groups to help midwives cope with the trauma and chronic stress of their work. The second intervention focused on improving interactions between pregnant women and midwives during antenatal consultations to help foster a caring and honest relationship. The last intervention focused on improving the waiting time for pregnant women, as long wait times can be a source of frustration that can extend to the consultation. We realized that empathy was vital to creating a culture of sharing that helped recreate relationships, build a sense of mutual understanding and restore trust. Empowering midwives to be intentional with how they are transferring knowledge to pregnant women allows the consultation to feel more like a discussion. When people open up and share, it creates a bond that improves interactions. The recommended concepts all revolve around empathy and focus on sharing experiences, anxieties, stress and joy."