When Uppsala resident Soukaina El Quiltim came to Sweden from Morocco almost two years ago, she felt alone. She was in a foreign land, and the only person she knew was her husband.
– It was the first time I traveled so far from the family, she says.
When she became pregnant, she learned that a cultural doula could support and guide her through care during pregnancy. A doula who not only spoke Arabic but also came from the same home country.
Supports foreign born
– I was very happy, because I knew nothing about what it is like in Sweden, she says.
The doula’s name is Hala El Mekki and she supports foreign-born women through the care system during their pregnancies – in their home language.
In the clip: Soukaina gets emotional when she describes what Hala meant to her.