Grant: Catalyst Grant: Partnering for Impact - IPPH - Global Health

Every year, millions of families around the world experience the heartbreak of stillbirth-the loss of a baby before birth after 20 weeks of pregnancy. This devastating experience affects parents and the health providers who care for them. In many low- and middle-income countries such as Kenya, families receive little emotional support or compassionate care after stillbirth, leaving them to grieve alone. Health workers, who also feel the weight of these losses, rarely have opportunities for debriefing and receive little support. Heshima means "respect" in Swahili and our project brings together researchers, health professionals, and parents who have experienced stillbirth to work as equal partners in designing and testing compassionate bereavement care interventions in Kenya. The team will begin by analyzing interviews and discussions with parents and healthcare workers to understand their needs and priorities. Then, we will create culturally appropriate care packages and support tools through a series of collaborative workshops. These tools will then be piloted at hospitals in Kilifi County, Kenya to assess if they were acceptable and feasible. Our project will develop locally grounded models for respectful bereavement care that can strengthen trust and empathy in maternity services.