sorry, this time Ive cut'n'pasted...
cheers
jfairy
Ethiopian health and community project 2005-06
I am a student of midwifery in my final year at the Flinders University
of South Australia. Over the summer period December 2004 – February
2005, I was involved in the initiation and development of a health post
and education centre in the northern desert area of Ethiopia known as
the Afar Region. Three friends and I initiated the project alongside a
local Non-Government Organisation (NGO) called EMRDA (Ethiopian Muslim
Relief & Development Assn.), and completed it with the help of financial
support through private donations and other small-scale fundraising
activities.
The Afar is a place of extreme need in all aspects of health and
education. It was our hope to provide a place from where a women’s
extension worker (WEW), and/or community health worker (CHW) could
provide basic health care and education to the nomadic communities who
live in the region. The health of Afar women is especially fragile.
Female genital cutting (FGC) is performed on almost every young girl,
causing her to suffer multifaceted implications for the rest of her
life. The maternal and infant morbidity and mortality is devastating,
with each woman facing an exceptionally high risk of dying in
childbirth. These women predominantly birth in their villages
accompanied by traditional birth attendants (TBAs) or relatives, and
receive no or very little maternity care before and after the birth.
An Australian midwife, Valerie Browning, has been working to improve the
well-being of Afar women for many years. She has founded an NGO called
Afar Pastoralist Development Assn. (APDA), which is instrumental in the
development of health and education strategies for the Afar people,
particularly through their work with women as a central aspect of
functional and healthy communities.
One important aspect of APDA’s work is the training of WEWs and TBAs
from the community to enable them to take skills and travel with their
nomadic families. In order to provide the birth attendants with an
understanding of the birth processes, we would like to take 15-20 model
foetal dolls and pelvises to Ethiopia to give to APDA for the purpose of
enhancing their training programs. At present they have little if any
educational tools with which to work. We will personally take this
educational equipment with us, and work with APDA in its implementation.
Using our skills as midwife, nurse and student nurse, we will work
closely with the people and their communities in health and education.
Our aim is to raise the money needed to purchase these dolls. Birth
International have kindly provided us with a 25% discount for model
pelvis & foetal doll sets for the purpose of this cause. Each set will
now cost AUS$130.
If you feel inclined and able to offer any financial assistance to this
project it would be appreciated widely. The educators of birth
attendants, the attendants themselves, and birthing women of the Afar
Region of Ethiopia will subsequently enjoy improved education, care and
birthing outcomes as a result of these educational tools and opportunity.
Donations on cheque can be made out to The Afar Project, or given by
direct transfer to: The Afar Project Account # 5201531 BSB: 805-005
We are a small independent group and are presently unregistered under
any governing body. Money donated to us for the purpose of this work
will be used solely for the outlined project. Periodic reports,
photographs and information about presentations of our work in the Afar
will be sent out to email addresses provided.
Kind Regards,
Zeshi Fisher
Project Coordinator
0413 405 051
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Yooren Cutukta Health Post, Afar Ethiopia
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