CAM Launches the TRUST Project: Midwifery Leadership for Resilient Health in Malawi and South Sudan
It’s a sunny morning in Addis Ababa. Project Manager Jennifer King pauses outside the Hotel, closing her eyes to feel the warmth on her face, a welcome change from the bitter Ontario winter she left behind. Inside, partners from two continents are gathering. They are meeting to discuss the project plan for TRUST.
Agnes Juan Silver, Executive Director of the South Sudan Nurses and Midwives Association (SSNAMA), scrolls through her phone, smiling proudly as she shows photos of her daughter’s first-grade graduation to other members of the team. Across the room, Mathias Chatuluka, Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Malawian Midwives (AMAMI), speaks about hiring a new communications officer to support the myriad of activities AMAMI will be involved in.
Three people, three countries, one shared mission: to improve care for more than 100,000 women every year in South Sudan and Malawi. And the goal is to gain their TRUST
The planning workshop in Addis Ababa marked a turning point for the TRUST Project. Around the table, partners co-created a vision for what resilient, equitable health systems could look like in South Sudan and Malawi. Conversations moved beyond technical checklists into real talk about the daily realities midwives face: the chronic shortage of skilled health workers, the weight of gender inequality, and the stubborn social norms that limit women and girls’ rights.
By putting midwives and community voices at the centre, the workshop sparked built momentum. Partners left with a shared sense that real change must be led locally, grounded in context, and driven by rights. The message was clear: midwives aren’t just delivering care, they are transforming health systems. And when women and girls can claim their sexual and reproductive health and rights, the whole community benefits. This spirit of collaboration is what gives TRUST its strength and its promise for lasting, sustainable change.
The Project
The TRUST: Women’s Voices, Midwifery Leadership for Resilient Health project, funded by Global Affairs Canada and led by the Canadian Association of Midwives (CAM), is a five-year, $8.5 million initiative to strengthen health systems and advance sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Malawi and South Sudan. In addition to AMAMI and SSNAMA, TRUST will partner with the National Council of Indigenous Midwives in relation to climate justice and SRHR, to ensure lasting improvements. After the success of the GAC funded, CAM led SMART RMC project, TRUST was the likely next step.
“At its heart, the TRUST Project recognizes that resilient health systems are rooted in community leadership, gender equality, and the right to quality, respectful care,” says Chatuluka. “By empowering midwives, we strengthen women’s health and rights, especially for those from marginalized communities, so they can access equitable, high-quality SRHR services.”
Why It Matters
Both Malawi and South Sudan face some of the highest maternal and neonatal mortality rates in the world. In Malawi, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is 225 per 100,000 live births; in South Sudan it is 692. Persistent barriers including shortages of skilled birth attendants, entrenched gender inequality, climate-driven displacement, and the challenges faced by women with disabilities, internally displaced persons, and minority ethnic groups, make care hard to reach.
“Evidence shows that investing in midwifery can dramatically improve outcomes,” explains King. “The World Health Organization estimates that trained midwives can deliver up to 87% of essential SRHR services. The TRUST Project builds on this evidence, centering midwives as leaders in both health service delivery and systems-level change.”
Goals
- Empower midwives as leaders and advocates.
- Improve education and training for equitable, high-quality care.
- Strengthen women’s health organizations to shape policy.
- Promote inclusive, climate-just advocacy.
- Expand access for marginalized populations.
“This combination of service delivery, community engagement, and policy advocacy ensures that change happens from the ground up while also influencing national and transnational health agendas,” says Chatuluka.
Agnes Juan Silver agrees: “The TRUST project is a testament to the power of global partnership. By working alongside the Canadian Association of Midwives, we are uniting our expertise and passion to tackle the most critical challenges in maternal and newborn health. This collaborative effort gives us the resources and support to expand our reach and build a foundation of trust and care that will serve our people for years to come.
Partners include: Association of Malawian Midwives (AMAMI), South Sudan Nurses and Midwives Association (SSNAMA) , Association of Gynecologists and Obstetricians of South Sudan
CARE Canada , CARE South Sudan , Canadian Network for International Surgery (CNIS) , Farm Radio International and Farm Radio Trust Malawi
Looking Ahead
Over five years, TRUST will:
- Train 650+ midwives.
- Improve SRHR care for 108,000+ pregnant women annually.
- Reach 1.5 million people through outreach and mass media.
As King puts it: “When midwives are supported as leaders, they don’t just save lives—they transform health systems, strengthen communities, and ensure that women’s voices shape the future of care.”
And that transformation through collaboration, respect and sustainability, is what builds TRUST.
