Mother's Day in the U.S. is this Sunday so we're devoting today's Feel Good Friday to a group that works with mothers, the Global Midwife Education Foundation (GMEF).
Founded in 2010 by Genevieve Reid, MD, the mission of GMEF, as stated on their website, is "to reduce maternal and infant mortality and morbidity in rural areas of the developing world."
Current projects are active in Boliva and Peru and GMEF is addressing the various root causes of maternal and infant mortality with a multi-level approach. Keep reading, or watch a short video here.
Since most families live hours from the nearest hospital and lack access to transportation, hospital births are rare. GMEF trains birth attendants (both women and men) how to prevent infections and hemorrhage associated with childbirth, and how to provide basic newborn care. GMEF also trains Ministry of Health doctors and nurses in critical newborn care and provides supplies and equipment.
More of their work with the Ministry of Health includes providing access to safe birth control options for women who desire contraception. Family planning helps women secure their autonomy and well-being by spacing out pregnancies and/or limiting family size.
In 2019, GMEF's work focused on clean water and sanitation. Contaminated water causes diarrheal diseases, which account for 1 in 9 child deaths worldwide. GMEF coordinated efforts between the government, Ministry of Health and the community of Oplaca (over 4,000 people) to build a new water system that now provides clean water to the village. They also used donations to purchase a new water pump for the 600 people living in Tomatas.
GMEF also helps people construct bathrooms and sanitation systems that keep water and food sources free from contamination. In the 2018-2019 year they provided 12 schools with bathrooms and sinks, bringing their grand total to over 750 bathrooms serving 6,000 people.
If you'd like to support the work of the Global Midwife Education Foundation, you can do so by making a donation, shopping for a gift and liking their Facebook page.
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