@barnochkvinnor in partnership with Kasangati Maternity Hospital in Uganda
April 26, 2023
Improving Maternal Health, One Mama Kit at a Time
Ensuring safe deliveries and reducing maternal and infant mortality rates is a top priority for Barn Och Kvinnor Organisation. Our latest initiative, the Mama Kit project, provides essential resources to vulnerable women during childbirth.
Why Mama Kits Matter
Many expectant mothers lack access to necessary supplies, putting their lives and their babies’ lives at risk. A Mama Kit can make a significant difference. These kits contain crucial items for a safe delivery, helping to prevent infections and complications.
Understanding the Challenge
A study by one of our volunteers in Kasangati, Uganda, revealed several barriers preventing women from delivering at health facilities:
- Lack of baby wrappers
- Hygiene issues
- Attitude of health workers
- Lack of privacy in the delivery room
Delivery postureSurprisingly, the most significant challenge cited was the lack of baby wrappers.
Our Solution: The Mama Kit
In response, we launched a monthly Mama Kit donation project. Each kit, provided free of charge to vulnerable mothers delivering at our local supported health facility, includes:
- One-meter piece of cotton cloth (baby wrapper)
- Laundry soap
- Pair of gloves
- Piece of cotton wool
- Small gauze
- Cord ligature
- Meter of polythene sheet for the delivery table
These items are essential yet often unaffordable for vulnerable pregnant mothers in rural areas. By providing clean wrappers and single-use polythene sheets, the Mama Kit project significantly reduces infections for both mothers and newborns.
Impact and Testimonials
The provision of these kits has transformed delivery procedures. “This has helped us prevent infection of the mother and the newborn,” says one of the midwives at Kasangati Maternity Hospital. The initiative not only supports safe deliveries but also encourages more women to give birth in health facilities.
