Fall Fundraising: Honoring our Fourth Class

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In This Issue

Fundraising Progress

Two weeks into our Fall Fundraising Drive, we are so grateful for the generosity of our supporters. Check out our progress so far:

Progress toward goal of $228,000

If you believe that Midwives For Haiti has the power to transform the lives of women in Haiti, please show this support with a monthly gift, between now and Thanksgiving.

Who is a Skilled Birth Attendant?

Students are trained to handle maternal and newborn complications.

Midwives For Haiti graduates are trained to meet the criteria of WHO definition of a Skilled Birth Attendant:

"WHO defines a skilled attendant as "an accredited health professional - such as a midwife, doctor or nurse - who has been educated and trained to proficiency in the skills needed to manage normal (uncomplicated) pregnancies, childbirth and the immediate postnatal period, and in the identification, management and referral of complications in women and newborns."

Skilled birth attendants are essential to saving lives of moms and babies, and Haiti has a shortage. Help Midwives For Haiti to make a difference in the lives of women in Haiti by continuing this vital training.

Follow Us

Fall Fundraising

Support our ongoing work in Hinche.

Greetings!

Midwives For Haiti began educating women to be skilled birth attendants in September 2007. At that time, class was held under the trees, with teaching done entirely by

Our first "classroom," under the trees.

volunteers. Since then, with the help of our amazing instructors and volunteer preceptors, we have graduated three classes of midwives, nearly all of whom are now employed in areas of need in Haiti.

This Sunday, November 13, sixteen women will graduate from our fourth class. We are proud that each of these women will graduate with the skills to save lives of mothers and babies. After ten months of classroom and clinical training in Hinche, these women will be sent out to serve in areas of need in Hinche and around Haiti.

After 10 months of training, Class 4 will graduate this week.

Fifteen women will begin their training in January. They need medical supplies, books and stipends for attending class. Students for this next class will be interviewed and selected this week; their training is vital to our mission of reducing maternal mortality in Haiti.

In honor of our fourth class's graduation on Sunday, help us to continue our education of skilled birth attendants. A pledge of $50 per month from 90 donors will cover the full cost of training for our next class of students.

Gratefully,

Nadene Brunk

Founder & Executive Director

Andrea's Story

Andrea Casseus, soon-to-be graduate

Andrea Casseus, a student in our fourth class, shared with Dr. Alice Hirata why she chose to pursue a career as a Midwives For Haiti skilled birth attendant. Each of our students have a story of how they ended up as MFH students. Each of them will begin the next chapter of their story this Sunday, when they graduate with skills to save lives of their Haitian sisters.

At age 28, Andrea arrived in Hinche and St. Therese hospital for her auxillare training, a basic nursing degree. Her classmates encouraged her to pursue midwifery training with MFH. She realized that there were no nursing jobs available in her home village of Pareidon. Also, she knew back home and throughout Haiti, women suffered and often died due to complications of pregnancy and childbirth.

She had seen the MFH students in their pink scrubs, busy working at the hospital. Andrea shares that it is the respectful, encouraging instruction offered by the midwife teachers that most impressed her. She wanted to be a part of decreasing maternal and neonatal mortality in Haiti. Andrea wanted a profession that would bring her pride, status and financial stability.

When asked to relate a story that describes why midwifery is important to her, she eagerly begins this story. A young, frightened woman was having an exhausting, difficult time delivering her first baby. Andrea worked with her for hours. Due to a broken hospital generator, St. Therese currently cannot perform caesarean sections. A surgical option requires over an hour's drive on a mountainous, bumpy road to Cange.

"The baby was in a bad position," Andrea recounts. "I helped the woman to walk and knew that she must try laboring in different positions. I helped her labor on her hands and knees and also on her side. It was worth it. The baby came out healthy. The new mom cried and hugged me. It was a good day."

Read the rest of Andrea's story, and consider making a gift to support the education of the next class of midwives like Andrea.

Midwives For Haiti

7130 Glen Forest Drive, Suite 101

Richmond, Virginia 23226

www.MidwivesForHaiti.com

midwivesforhaiti@gmail.com | (804) 662-6060, Ext. 4105