CleanBirth - Saving Mothers and Babies in Laos

CleanBirth.org - Donate $5 Saves 2 Lives

CleanBirth in book: “100 Under $100”

10561821_1095980050417362_4855822323669706933_nWe are so proud to have CleanBirth.org featured in the book 100 Under $100: One Hundred Tools for Empowering Global Women.  I just received my copy this week and its incredible to see our small but mighty org listed.

Yesterday, the author Betsy Teutsch featured us in a blog post that she wrote on Kveller.com! (http://www.kveller.com/how-to-help-the-worlds-poorest-women-give-birth-safely/) Here’s a quote from the article:

“In each of my book’s 100 entries, I include an actionable item. CleanBirth.org focuses on Laos, a country with very high maternal death rates. For a $10 contribution, donors underwrite the cost of two Clean Birth Kits, provided to a nurse who both educates her pregnant patients and provides them with kits. CleanBirth offers attractive gift cards, making it easy to extend the blessings of the safe childbirth we take for granted to places where something as simple as a birth kit can save lives. The also sell Birth Provider Thank-You Cards for expressing gratitude to the doula, midwife, labor nurse, Ob-Gyn, and pediatrician.”

So thrilled that we get a mention as an “actionable” item and to be included in this amazing book.

Instruction Sheets Rehaul

The nurses and our partner organization have asked that the instruction sheet that we include with the birth kits gets an overhaul and is done with real pictures.

Today 2 high school students — one of whom is Lao — and I staged a Lao birth in my New Haven, CT yard. All in a day’s work for this maternal health advocate:)

Here’s a sneak peak at the pictures that will become the our ayzh birth kits instruction sheet.

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Barn Fundraiser: 94 Attendees & $5k Raised

IMG_0009 IMG_0013 IMG_0017 IMG_0019 IMG_0021 IMG_0022 IMG_0024 IMG_0025 IMG_0026 IMG_0028 IMG_0029 IMG_0033 IMG_0035 IMG_0036 IMG_0037 IMG_0039 IMG_0040 IMG_0042 IMG_0043 IMG_0048 IMG_0052CleanBirth.org’s 2nd Annual Barn Party was a big success.

A whopping *94* guests turned out and donated $5,000!

Highlights:

  • The Eli Whitney Barn positively glowed with early evening light.  Gorgeous!
  • The Silent Auction items from more than 30 donors were a big hit.
  • Thai food was delicious
  • Lao-inspired Mojitos (basel added) were fabulous
  • Friends and new friends chatted the night away

Thanks to all who came and who donated to the Silent Auction. We could not do the work that we do without your support!

Meet Chanpheng, a district nurse at a rural clinic in Laos

Red hat baby and NurseJPGChanpheng, on the right, is one of the first nurses that CleanBirth.org trained.  Our volunteer Natalie interviewed her to learn what she thought about the Village Volunteer trainings.  Here’s what she had to say:

“My name’s Chanpheng. I represent nurses who distribute the birth kits. Are volunteers needed, you ask?

Yes, the volunteers are needed in every village because they are our assistants who collect the number of pregnant women, the number of women who give birth and number of deaths of women and new born babies during delivery. They are the ones who help mothers taking care themselves, of their babies and tell them about the benefits of breastfeeding.”

Let’s keep funding these assistants for nurses who cannot physically be with mothers who do not venture to the clinic for delivery or pre/post-natal care.   The Volunteers are the eyes and ears of the nurses.  They are best suited to help mothers have safe pregnancies, deliveries and care for their newborns.

Lao Staff Send More Data and Pictures

IMG_7222IMG_7192IMG_7225 IMG_7245 IMG_7288 IMG_7301 IMG_7388 IMG_7317Yeah! Pictures from the villages where our kits are being distributed.  And data too!

Three staffers of our Lao partner organization, Our Village Association, are tasked with assisting in the distribution of kits, tracking of data, and training of CleanBirth Volunteers.

Ms. Noi coordinates all of our efforts and communicates with CleanBirth.org directly.  Mr Phomma works with nurses and villagers in Saravan District and Lao-ngarm District;  Mr Haleuy does the same in Tahoy District.

Mr. Haleuy took these great pictures of life in this village.

The nurses in each of our 14 clinics are tasked with texting the number of Clean Birth Kits they have distributed each month.

Ms. Noi has reported that so far in September we have heard from 7 clinics about the number of kits that they distributed in August.

– Naborn Clinic: gave 21
– Kokbok Clinic: gave 16
– Tahouak Clinic: gave 6
– Kuaset Clinic: gave 7
– Pachoudorn Clinic: gave 2
– Daxia Clinic: gave 7
– Thoumleethong Clinic: gave 1

Ms. Noi will be calling the other 7 nurses to get their data.

Last month 4 clinics were cut off communication-wise by rain, but all nurses will need to show their data in December to recieve more kits and their stipend.

Thanks to the 3 OVA staffers we can see that data is being collected and the kits are being used!

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