Dalyn Maira is a remarkable midwife who has risen to the top of her profession despite facing great personal tragedy. Born and raised in Lamou Village, a small community in Central New Ireland, Dalyn was always interested in healthcare.
She worked at Kavieng General Hospital as a nurse, but it was not until she helped deliver a baby in breech position that she realized her true calling was midwifery.
“From that moment on, I was determined to pursue this career and to become the best midwife I can be,” she says.
In 2020, Dalyn started a Bachelor of Midwifery at St Mary’s School of Nursing supported by an Australia Awards scholarship. She was making great progress until tragedy struck. Her husband passed away, leaving her grief-stricken and unsure of how to move forward.
“I was was determined to honour my husband’s memory by completing my studies,” she remarks.
“I am now a senior midwife at the Kavieng General Hospital, and I am so proud of how much I have achieved.”
Dalyn quickly established herself as a leader in the field. She attended an Australia Awards PNG Clinical Leadership course in March this year.
“I learned how to be a more effective leader and how to harness my full potential as a midwife, Dalyn says.
She is proud to be part of the larger midwife community of practice this year, where she can exchange ideas and challenges with other midwives. She never feels alone with the group behind her.
“Through the scholarship, I have met other amazing midwives who are doing great work across the country, but we need more midwives, so I encourage our others who want to upskill to apply too,” Dalyn concludes.