A Midwife Helps Black Moms in Care Deserts

Many people are watching the result closely.

So this is not only about choosing a president.

It is also about daily life.

Exactly.

The vote is being seen as a test.

It is a test of the government's economic reforms.

What are voters thinking about most?

Money pressure.

Many families are still dealing with high food, fuel, and electricity costs.

Those are everyday costs people feel right away.

Yes.

And that is why some voters say they have not seen real change yet.

Who is trying to hold on to power?

President Hakainde Hichilema is seeking a second term.

And the opposition is also pushing hard?

Yes.

Brian Mundubile is the candidate for the opposition Tonse Alliance.

There are many names on the ballot too, right?

There are.

Fourteen candidates are contesting the presidency.

That is a big field.

What is the government's main message?

It points to debt restructuring.

It also points to the end of its IMF-supported programme.

And it points to lower inflation.

Lower inflation sounds good.

But I guess people want more than that.

They do.

Inflation fell to 6.8 percent in April.

But prices still feel high for many households.

So the numbers are better.

But the mood is still tense.

That is right.

Some experts say voters care more about jobs, power cuts, and public services.

Copper also matters in Zambia, doesn't it?

Very much.

Copper brings in most of the country's export earnings.

It brings in over 10 percent of GDP.

That makes the mines a huge part of the story.

Who benefits from that money?

Some people want to know who really benefits from that money.

So the vote is really about trust, prices, and the future.

That is the key point.

People will judge leaders by what changes in daily life.

A midwife is trying to help families in care deserts.

Now we go to Grace, our LinguaWire correspondent for health.

In Alabama, midwife Nadia Gramby drives long distances.

She drives long distances to reach mothers and babies.

That already sounds exhausting.

It is a lot of work.

But she says it is worth it.

Why is her work needed so much?

Because many places in the U.S. do not have labor and delivery hospitals.

The report uses a strong phrase for that, right?

Yes.

It calls them maternity care deserts.

How many counties are we talking about?

The report says more than 52% of U.S. counties do not have hospital-based labor and delivery services.

That is a huge number.

It is.

It also says about one in three counties have no birthing facilities or obstetric clinicians.

So many women have to travel far for care.

Exactly.

The report says it can take three times longer.

It can take three times longer to travel from those counties for care or emergencies.

And that can be dangerous.

Yes.

Officials say people in maternity care deserts are more likely to have bad pregnancy outcomes.

What does Gramby do in her daily work?

She supports families through pregnancy, labor, birth, and the time after birth.

So she stays with them across many stages.

She does.

She also gives personal care.

She asks about emotional and physical health.

That sounds very human, not just medical.

That is the idea.

She wants families to feel safe and supported.

I noticed the story also talks about race and risk.

Yes.

The risk is higher for Black women and Indigenous women than for white women.

So this is not only about distance.

It is also about fairness.

Exactly.

Gramby says midwives can help fill some of those gaps.

And she even recently opened a new office, right?

Yes, in Birmingham.

But she still travels to reach families who need her.

First, three words from the Zambia story.

debt means money that one person or group owes to another.

In the story, the government talked about debt restructuring.

Example: The country is trying to cut its debt.

inflation means prices go up over time.

In the story, inflation fell to 6.8 percent.

Example: Inflation made bread more expensive this year.

household means the people living together in one home.

In the story, the report talked about household costs and income.

Example: Every household paid more for electricity last month.

Now one grammar point: be seen as.

We use be seen as when people think something has a certain role.

The vote is being seen as a test of the government's economic reforms.

Her work is seen as a bridge between families and care.

Repeat after me: is seen as