While doing her student nursing rounds at Pumwani Maternity Hospital in Nairobi last year, Ruth Apondi came face to face with troubling statistics.
National infant and mother mortality rates compelled her to act. Like a suction pump, this medical niche pulled her more than other nursing disciplines. Nothing prepared her for the out-of-classroom experience she had in hospital.
Early 2025, Ruth formed Smart Mama, a platform built to respond to challenges women face in their journey to childbirth.
Ruth has formed a WhatsApp group where she meets women on other online meeting platforms like Google Meet. On her platforms, women at different stages of pregnancy who share their experiences and first-time mothers can learn from them. The forums are growing gradually.
"I am satisfied when I see a mother holding a baby. I get happy when I get their feedback and experiences and this has led me to know that I am making an impact in their lives."
“The vision is to build an app where women can access information, help and recourse regarding their health and that of their children before, during and after pregnancy.”
Ruth graduated from Kenyatta University with a nursing degree— her passion since childhood. She has actively tracked about 25 women. “The number is bigger of course, because I interact with a bigger group in the hospital.”
When the odds are against her, she looks at the positive outcomes compared to the negatives. “I also get satisfaction when I see a mother holding a baby. I get happy when I get their feedback and experiences and this has led me to know that I am causing an impact in their lives.”
One of the hardest truths she has had to contend with is the difficult initial stages. “Starting is difficult. Not everyone understands your vision and what you are doing. Sometimes this extends to clients. A few will buy into it while others will doubt.”
Ruth is satisfied that she is helping in reshaping the narrative that pregnancy is complicated. In spite of the anxiety that comes with pregnancy, she offers a comforting space where women know that they can pull through.
-Ndugu Abisai