Oti Mabuse has opened up about the poignant moment she returned to a neonatal unit for the first time since the premature birth of her daughter nearly two years ago.
The former Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer, 34, travelled to Côte d’Ivoire in West Africa with Unicef, to see first-hand the work that the charity is doing to support life-saving treatment for premature babies and their families.
In a candid video diary released today, Mabuse can be seen visiting a Unicef-supported specialist clinic in the city of Abidjan, where premature babies are receiving critical treatment and care.
Her visit brought back difficult memories of her own experience. “I remember the only way I could touch my child and have skin-on-skin was through this glass window – there's no mother who wants to experience that,” she said.
Mabuse’s daughter was born at just seven months, and she said seeing other mothers in similar situations brought everything home. “I know how vital that care and support is in those early days.”
Prematurity remains the leading cause of death for children under five in Côte d’Ivoire, where access to specialist care is limited. Unicef estimates that globally, 2.3 million newborns died within the first 28 days of life in 2024 alone.
But there is hope. Since opening in 2019, the clinic has expanded and can now care for nearly three times as many mothers and babies.
During her visit, Mabuse also witnessed the charity’s Kangaroo Mother Care programme, which promotes skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding support, and regular check-ups. The approach has been proven to improve survival rates in premature infants.
The South Africa-born star met a mother named Ouattara, whose first baby tragically died after being born prematurely without access to care. Her second son, Abdul, was also born early but received specialist support from the charity. Two years later, he is a healthy and happy little boy.
Elsewhere on her visit, the mum-of-one travelled to a foster care home, where she met Madame Massandje – a woman trained by Unicef to identify children living on the streets and bring them into her care. She currently looks after 15 children aged between three and fifteen.
“Visiting Côte d’Ivoire with Unicef UK showed me the first-hand impact of vital care for children and their parents – especially those born prematurely,” said Mabuse. “I also met incredible foster carers who are changing children’s lives and helping give them the start in life they deserve.
“These experiences showed me the real difference donations make. That’s why I’m so proud to be part of Soccer Aid for Unicef – to help give every child a safe, healthy start in life.”
A film about Mabuse’s trip will be shown during Soccer Aid for Unicef which airs on ITV1 and ITVX at 6pm on Sunday June 15 during the live football match.
Last year’s event raised over £14 million for Unicef’s global work.
