It is with great honour that we celebrate the life of Dr, Sebalda Charles Leshabari who passed away on October  22^nd, 2020.  A midwife, a scholar, advocate, and diplomat, Dr. Leshabari was a force to be reckoned with.  She shaped all of us who knew her, and left her mark on the organizations and issues she was most passionate about; including international Midwifery, Muhimbili University College of Health and Allied Sciences and the Tanzanian Midwives Association and the Canadian Association of Midwives. 

Over her illustrious career Dr. Leshabari was recognized for her contributions to women’s sexual health and rights.  She was the winner of the 2016 “Midwives 4All” prize, recognizing excellence in her chosen field.   Dr. Leshabari was an internationally recognized leader in midwifery education, practice and research.  A decorated academic, Dr. Leshabari completed degrees in Sociology, Maternal Health and Monitoring & Evaluation.  She studied at the University of Dar Es Salaam,, Harvard School of Public Health, the University of Bergen, and received her diploma in Nursing and Midwifery from Muhimbili Nursing and Midwifery School in Tanzania.  Midwifery, and midwifery education were her true passions. 

She left her mark very deeply on the institutions and communities with which she was most passionately aligned.  At the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where she was a Senior Lecturer  and she led the development of Msc. Midwifery curriculum.  As the long-standing Secretary General of TAMA, she helped design and execute the development of TAMA’s work  in National and international global health.  As a founding member of the UMOJA committee (twinning CAM & TAMA), she shaped and inspired an international collaboration based in respectful partnership that now spans 6 countries.   At CAM, we will strive to uphold the values, principles and commitments we learned from her. 

She strove for long-life midwifery education – encouraged midwives to grow through higher learning and spear the advocacy and efforts towards stand alone midwifery profession in Tanzania.  Towards this, she led several projects for empowering rural, unsupervised midwives with live saving competencies for them to provide quality midwifery care.  That is where her heart and passion were, with women and babies in Tanzania.  Her passion, and her laugh, were infectious and we continued to be inspired by her example. 

We knew her as a colleague and a friend.  She was also a mother, a wife, and aunty, and grandmother; and our hearts are with her family at this time.  Dr. Sebalda Leshabari was laid to rest at her family home in Tarakea Rombo, Kilimanjaro Region in Northern Tanzania. Thousands of mourners from several parts of the country turned up to bid Dr. Sebalda farewell.