70-year-old Safina Namukwaya gave birth to twins at the beginning of the year via cesarean section at the Women’s Hospital International and Fertility Center, astonishing Uganda.

On Saturday, June 29, a remarkable convoy led by an ambulance cut through the Busega traffic jam, making its way to Masaka, carrying Namukwaya and her newborn twins.

Namukwaya, a resident of Nunda, stunned the nation with her story. The twins, born prematurely, required additional care and observation, keeping Namukwaya at the hospital until their release.

Married to 69-year-old Badru Walusimbi for over 30 years, Namukwaya had longed for children of her own. It wasn’t until 2020 that her dream became a reality, thanks to in vitro fertilization (IVF). Namukwaya’s journey to motherhood has been nothing short of extraordinary, marking an unprecedented feat in Uganda.

Referred to as “Nnalongo” – a revered title in Buganda given to a mother of twins – Namukwaya shared her emotional journey to motherhood. She had raised nieces, nephews, and cousins, but the void of not having her children weighed heavily on her.

“I have raised children in this compound that grew up and just left. They don’t bat an eyelid toward me or even regard me as their mother, yet I took them as my own. This weighed on me and I felt like I have to have my own children before I die,” she told The Observer in Masaka, as she reunited with her husband and four-year-old daughter.

Namukwaya’s story echoes the biblical narrative of Hannah, as she faced ridicule from her neighbours for not bearing children. Her breakthrough came when a friend informed her about the Women’s Hospital International and Fertility Centre in Bukoto, Kampala.

“This choking feeling I always got pushed me to go and see this hospital in Bukoto, Kampala. I had my Shs 1m in the pocket and decided to go see what the doctors had to say. They told me I could have children. I could not believe it.”

Doctors diagnosed Namukwaya with blocked fallopian tubes, which prevented natural fertilization. After trying every possible remedy, her solution was IVF. Dr. John Ssekyanzi, a fertility specialist at the centre, explained that an ovum from a suitable donor and sperm from her husband was used for fertilization, given that Namukwaya was post-menopause and could not produce eggs.

Namukwaya was first conceived in 2020 and gave birth to a daughter. In 2023, she conceived twins through the same method, giving birth this year.

“This is the first experience the healthcare centre has had with a woman above the age of 60. When she approached the hospital requesting a second IVF, we did not turn her down and decided to scan and see if she was fit to carry; seeing as she had carried one at 67, we decided to give her a chance and by God’s grace it was successful,” Ssekyanzi said.

IVF offers hope to many women labelled ‘barren,’ allowing them to experience motherhood. The centre even offers surrogacy programs for women who cannot carry a baby to term, although Namukwaya chose to carry her babies herself.

Arriving at her home in Masaka, Namukwaya was greeted with jubilation and ululation from villagers and relatives. Holding her twins, Shakira Babirye Nabaggala and Shafique Kato Kangave, she expressed her gratitude.

“I am grateful for the God that created Dr. Tamale Ssali [proprietor of the fertility centre in Bukoto]. He has been there for me in more ways than I can thank him. May God bless you and all your work. And to my fellow women, this is real. You will give birth to your child like any other young woman does. Don’t listen to naysayers. I feel so lighthearted and extremely overjoyed now that I have my children,” she spoke in Luganda.

Namukwaya, who watched her husband father nine children with other women, had finally experienced the joy of motherhood.

Despite the challenges, including dramatic early labour and the financial burden of assisted reproductive technologies, Namukwaya’s determination and the support from the fertility centre’s charity arm, Faith and Science Ministries, made her dream a reality.

Her story is a testament to the possibilities of modern medicine and the enduring hope of becoming a mother, regardless of age.