Category: Uncategorized

Fear Met with Faith: Stanley’s NICU Journey. By Shannon Cessna Fear was met with faith when Hellen unexpectedly went into labor at 26 weeks and 5 days pregnant with her son. With pre-term delivery pending, the small, local hospital she had planned to deliver at sent her to a known referral center in Arusha with…

From Training to Change: Tiny Feet Big Steps impacts Ghana. One of the most encouraging aspects of Tiny Feet Big Steps (TFBS) is seeing what happens after the conference ends. The goal is not simply to bring healthcare professionals together for several days of learning. It is to equip clinicians with practical skills, encourage multidisciplinary…

A Father’s Embrace: How Kangaroo Care Is Saving Tiny Lives. When a baby arrives too soon, every moment of warmth, touch, and nourishment matters. Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC)—holding a premature baby skin-to-skin against the chest—has transformed newborn care around the world, reducing infections, improving breastfeeding, promoting healthy weight gain, and dramatically increasing survival for vulnerable…

Building Tanzania’s Future of Pediatric Care: A Conversation with Dr. Philipo. Summer 2026 One of the most lasting ways to improve healthcare in Africa is to invest in African physicians. When doctors receive advanced specialty training and return to serve their communities, they bring home far more than clinical expertise. They strengthen hospitals, mentor future…

Miracles Do Happen. Aichi. Every Tiny Life Deserves a Chance. Born just 15 weeks too early and weighing barely 2 pounds—just over 900 grams—this tiny baby faced an uncertain beginning. But behind every fragile newborn is a story of possibility—and behind that possibility are skilled clinicians, dedicated nurses, and the equipment, training, and resources they…

Tiny Feet Big Steps – Ethiopia. December 2025. Tiny Feet, Big Steps Conference in Ethiopia Exceeds Expectations By Dr. Stephen Swanson The recent Tiny Feet, Big Steps neonatology conference in Addis Ababa delivered an impact far beyond what organizers anticipated. Ethiopian lead organizer Dr. Mahlet Abayneh, one of the country’s most respected neonatologists at St.…

Winny’s Story: The Cry from a Box. It was a day Winny had been waiting for nine months. As labor pains began, she made her way to a small health dispensary near her home in rural Kenya. For many families, these clinics are the first—and often only—point of care. But they are often under-resourced and…

Quotes from TFBS Participants. Tiny Feet Big Steps Neonatology Conference, Arusha, 2026. Hear directly from the doctors and nurses whose lives—and the lives of their smallest patients—have been transformed through Tiny Feet Big Steps. Their stories reveal the power of practical training, collaboration, and hope in advancing newborn care across Africa. Betelihem Arega Healthcare Professional,…

500 Grams of Courage, Faith, Hope and a Fighting Spirit. Miracle – By Dr. Evelyine Mushi. Dr. Evelyine is an ICHA pediatrician who works in the Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre NICU and at ICHA’s Arusha Pediatric & Maternal Care Centre. Hello everyone, My name is Miracle and I want to tell you a little about…

Tiny Feet Big Steps in Action: One of the most encouraging aspects of Tiny Feet Big Steps (TFBS) is seeing what happens after the conference ends. The goal is not simply to bring healthcare professionals together for several days of learning. It is to equip clinicians with practical skills, encourage multidisciplinary collaboration, and support them…

Tiny Feet Big Steps Learning Takes Root in Nigeria: SALSA Training Expands Life-Saving Care. One of the most powerful outcomes of the Tiny Feet Big Steps Neonatology Conference is seeing participants return home and put new knowledge into practice. Every conference is designed not just to share ideas, but to equip frontline clinicians with practical,…

Introduction to ICHA: Dr. Stephen Swanson, ICHA Executive Director. Meet ICHA: Strengthening Child Healthcare in Africa What does it take to strengthen healthcare for children across Africa? It starts with partnership, practical training, and a commitment to empowering local clinicians. In this short video, Dr. Steve Swanson introduces the work of the Institute for Child…

Regional Jaundice Seminar: St. Patrick Catholic Hospital in Offinso, Ghana.June 2026 Following the 2026 ICHA & TFBS Neonatology Conference, healthcare teams are taking what they learned and transforming care in their own communities. One remarkable example comes from St. Patrick Catholic Hospital in Offinso, Ghana. Initially, the hospital planned a small seminar on neonatal jaundice…

Caelin’s Story. Neonatal Intensive Care is family care. The participation of the whole family in the healthcare and wellness of tiny babies is important for their growth in the journey from surviving to thriving in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Those tiny feet make big steps when small details matter. “Whatever step the baby…

Tiny Feet – Lasting Impact: Dr. Josephine, Ghana. Dr. Josephine, a physician from Ghana who attended the 2024 Tiny Feet Big Steps Conference, shares how she is applying what she learned through the training to strengthen care in her home NICU. An Update From Ghana: 100 Days after attending Tiny Feet By Dr. Josephine at…

A Parade for Baby Blixen. NICU Graduation After 86 Days. Celebrate! It was a moment no one wanted to miss. On the day baby Blixen was discharged from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the hospital corridors filled with spontaneous celebration. Nurses, doctors, and staff from across pediatrics and labor wards gathered to cheer, clap,…

Tiny Feet Big Steps: Arusha, 2026 – Day 1 Learning, collaboration, and hands-on training were at the heart of Day 1 of Tiny Feet Big Steps (TFBS) 2026 in Arusha, Tanzania. More than 200 physicians and nurses from across Africa and around the world came together to strengthen their skills in caring for the smallest…

A Meaningful Milestone in Arusha! APMC Opens Its Doors On April 30, 2026, we celebrated the opening of the Arusha Pediatric & Maternal Care Centre (APMC)—a new centre dedicated to providing specialized, family-focused care for infants, children, adolescents, and mothers in Arusha. This nonprofit, dedicated specialty pediatric outpatient centre is a first for Tanzania! From…

ICHA Origins: Dr. Stephen Swanson Introduces ICHA. When Dr. Steve Swanson moved to Tanzania, he quickly became aware of the devastating impact of prematurity, sepsis, and birth asphyxia on infant survival. He also realized that he could do something about it. What began with a NICU that grew out of necessity has evolved into a…

Fatuma’s Story. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is an extension of the womb. It takes a village to journey a tiny premature baby of 830 grams (1.8 lbs.) to thrive. In this nurturing, compassionate environment, skilled medical teams work courageously to save tiny lives, bring value to the family, and hope for a bright…