My southern magnolia tree stands proudly, majestically, blossoming in the backyard. It has weathered many hurricanes and yet still stands strong against the stormy winds. The strength of that magnolia reminds me of some women I have met in my life. They stand proudly, strong against adversity, fierce in their determination to right a wrong or to protect those who are not capable of protecting themselves. It is akin to the mother bear instinct to protect her babies, only in some women that instinct extends beyond their own babies.
I recently met online a human rights advocate, Magdalena Whoolery, who agreed to an interview. She is Dutch-Indonesian, who grew up in the UK. Magdalena is a wife and mother of 4 children. She is also a Registered Nurse with a PhD in Health Studies from Brunel University. In the UK she worked with multi-drug-resistant TB patients who were homeless. She coined the term, survivalising to describe how TB patients coped with their disease and homelessness.
Magdalena has lived in various countries: the UK, Pakistan, China, Botswana. She has worked for various organizations (UNICEF, WHO) and has been involved in disaster relief/emergency situations: 2004 tsunami disaster in Indonesia, Jwaneng Squatter Camps in Botswana, displaced camps in Timor-Leste of Timor. Magdalena is a member of IBFAN (International Baby Food Action Network) and a strong supporter of the WHO/UNICEF Code for Marketing Breast-Milk Substitutes.
The Botho Compassion Movement, “I am because you are."
Magdalena and her family moved to Botswana in 2012. In 2013 she founded the Botho Compassion Movement and later would establish La Leche League. Botswana at that time had no breastfeeding support groups. The Compassion Movement is founded on the principle that, “…compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves.” Or as Magdalena said quite simply to me, “I am because you are.”
Jwaneng Squatter Camps in Botswana
Botswana is located in Africa with South Africa on its southern border with the countries, Namibia and Zimbabwe on its west and east borders. It is home to the richest diamond mines in the world. Jwaneng is a mining town with squatter camps scattered throughout the area. Men, women and children in these camps are homeless, living in many cases without access to shelter, sleeping on the ground, living in the bush. Food and water is scarce, with no running water for bathing. It is a difficult way to live for adults, but in many cases life threatening for babies and children. Babies are often bottle-fed, in an environment in which one cannot wash bottles easily, nor refrigerate anything.
The threat of being chased out of the encampments by city officials is always present. Magdalena and members of the Botho Compassion Group decided to help by bringing food and water to the encampments. In a newspaper article dated April 28, 2016 of the Botswana Gazette in which the situation of squatter camps was written about, Magdalena is interviewed and states, “…as a nurse of over 15 years and having worked with homeless people specifically, I can honestly say I have not seen such severe cases of malnutrition.”
In my conversation with Magdalena she spoke of a Catholic priest who had worked with the Botho Compassionate Group. One day he called her on the phone, and described a situation of trying to help a mother from the camps whose 4 month-old, bottle-fed baby boy who was very sick. The priest told the mother to go to a clinic to get help. The clinic would not help her because she had no ID, health card, or Birth Certificate. He suggested another clinic, and the same response from the clinic—no help. She went to a third clinic and they did help by giving her 2 packets of Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS). This solution must be mixed with clean water. The mother went to the water faucet at the clinic, and was told she could not use the water at the clinic. Homelessness is often stigmatized (not just in Botswana but in the US too) and often out of ignorance of the conditions of homelessness help is not helpful. Later, in the bush they found the baby dead beside 2 packets of ORS. The priest told Magdalena this because he had another baby he was worried about.
The Botho Group got a medical team together to provide immediate medical care. They determined that the homeless needed access to health care; and without IDs, health cards, or birth certificates, they could not access that care. They got a team together and began to register the homeless so that they could access health care.
Meeting Dr. Hussein Tarimo, breastfeeding advocate
Meanwhile, Magdalena organized a meeting with UN staff members to discuss the situation of the homeless in the squatter camps. One of the members of the UN staff said to her that she needed to speak to Hussein Tarimo from the Ministry of Health-Botswana, “Nestle keeps asking me when he is going to retire.” He was the co-ordinator of the IBFAN Africa Codex Group, and helped with implementation of the WHO Code. He was very aware of the conflict of interests (COI) that happen when giant food companies get involved with regulations of their industry.
He discussed with Magdalena the situation of Nestle and its influence in Botswana. He told her about the situation in Botswana in 2006, in which 500 infants died. It is believed that the true extent of infant morbidity and mortality are unknown because many were not able to access hospital facilities.
“..in just 12 health districts [in Botswana], 22,500 babies had diarrhea and 470 died…the main risk factors for death were not being breastfed…” Gabrielle Palmer—“The Politics of Breastfeeding: When Breasts are Bad for Business,” pg106
During this time in 2006, concerns about HIV/AIDS epidemic had created a standard of care that not only provided antiretroviral drugs but infant formula to HIV-positive mothers. But moms were not given enough formula for their babies needs. Malnutrition became common in formula-fed infants. What also happened was that HIV-negative moms because of the promotion of infant formula began using formula rather than breastfeeding. This is called the spillover effect. This spillover effect is also common in other emergency situations, when free infant formula is given out, destroying breastfeeding. Then the free supplies disappear after the crisis passes. A mother’s breastmilk supply is gone, but free infant formula is no longer available. Unknown to many mothers and health care professionals is that a mother’s milk supply can be brought back into full production through relactation.
The major cause of infant mortality in Botswana is diarrhea.
Diarrhea is a major cause of infant mortality around the world with 1.5 million infants dying. Diarrhea often causes dehydration in babies. Infant formula or cow’s milk have a high solute loads which can cause rapid dehydration. Breastmilk does not have a high solute load. And babies will often continue to breastfeed for comfort, when ill.
Nestle in Botswana
Mr. Tarimo discussed with Magdalena the Nestle situation in Botswana. Their aggressive marketing practices were undermining breastfeeding. It was violating Botswana laws for Marketing Foods for Infants and Young Children as well as the WHO Code. One of the issues was that Nestle South Africa had a 300-page manual designed to “guide staff and distributors on how to breach Botswana law” on the marketing of breast-milk substitutes.
Another major concern was Professor Gabriel Anabwani, the Executive Director of Baylor Children’s Clinic who was also employed by Nestle Nutrition Institute. The Botswana Ministry of Health was calling for his resignation for his conflict of interest.
In 2015 the Botswana Gazette wrote that Nestle had a Doctors Dinner, “claiming to increase awareness of breastfeeding and their products.” Breastfeeding information from an infant formula company whose business is to sell more infant formula is questionable ethically, particularly when directed at the medical profession who may influence many mothers with slanted information.
In July of 2017, The Botswana Gazette stated that the Botswana Ministry of Health had declined to comment on Nestle’s involvement with health care professionals. Is it surprising that the newspaper appears to no longer be interested in investigating this scandal?
Lo and behold it appears that the Botswana Gazette has a paid partnership with Nestle (Nespresso Coffee Machine is one of their products).
MAGDALENA’S CONTINUED BREASTFEEDING ADVOCACY
Magdalena helped develop a National Breastfeeding Initiative in Botswana. She helped amend the IYCF (Infant & Young Child Feeding) Policy so that it included skin-to-skin contact with no mother/baby separation, and included mother-to-mother breastfeeding support. She is still involved with breastfeeding advocacy and support, despite the many obstacles that stand in the way of such advocacy.
I remember the first conversation I had with Magdalena and she said what was important to her, “Saving lives, one mother and child at a time.” I think it is in those seemingly small steps that we can make a difference in our communities. I think it is the ripple effect, throw a pebble into the water and watch how that action ripples across the water. I am grateful for all her work in promoting, supporting breastfeeding. Her strength, compassion, and kindness shines through, like the magnolia tree that flowers in the spring yet stands tall against the hurricanes in life.
Copyright 2022 Valerie W McClain
A tribute from Baby Milk Action to Hussein Tarimo who died September 28, 2021
https://www.babymilkaction.org/archives/32206
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