Safe Birthing Afghanistan

Refugee camps in Afghanistan have one of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the world. Most first-time mothers in these camps are young teenage girls 12-16 years old. There is little knowledge of hygiene or safe birthing. Working with our partner, Tabish, we have funded 5 local midwives to work in 6 camps training tradition birth attendants in safe birthing. Together they provide birthing kits, teach hygiene, attend deliveries, support breast-feeding and family planning. Since they began, every baby has been safely delivered with a dramatic reduction in infections. Partnering with “Grand Challenges”, we work with men’s groups and Imams to remove cultural barriers to family planning.