Table 4 An example of a typical career path of a midwife in Mali

Midwife, Promo 2005. Civil servant

I have been a midwife since 2005. I was employed on HIPC funds and then I became a civil servant. I had my first job in 2007. In the meantime, I had taken a volunteer position at a maternity hospital in 2006 after hitting several doors to have a job in Bamako, but without success. I stayed at this position for about one year. I accepted because it was close to my home.

In 2007 I had the job on HIPC funds. I was informed by a friend of a post available in rural areas. She did not like it because she did not like working in rural areas. I said yes because I could not wait to get a job. It was in a CSRef in the Koulikoro region. There I stayed for two years. From there I did the public service competition of which I was informed by friends. After admission I was posted to a CSCom in the Mopti region as a civil servant. There I was the manager. I stayed there for two years too. Then I came here to Ségou region.

My changes were for family reasons and the problem still persists because my husband works elsewhere. When I was admitted to the public service my chief physician did not want me to be transferred. But I had been assigned to Mopti region and my husband was in the Segou region. I asked for a transfer to join him. The transfer came out and my husband had a job elsewhere and my transfer remained in Segou. My problem was not solved. I still wanted to join him. My mother then advised me to stay and to stop the shuttling back and forth which prevented me from working for my country which trained me for so many years. At the moment I have decided to stay, and my husband has also understood.

Coming here to the CSRef, as I was the most experienced midwife, I have been appointed midwife mistress and also received training which helped me understand a little more about administration.