Healthy Pregnancy Initiative
Healthy Pregnancy Initiative: Fond Doux, Haiti
“This (Initiative) will really create a ripple effect…These babies will have a healthy start to life. Their bodies, their brains will be able to develop properly from the womb and on. And we will be creating healthier babies, healthier children, and that will lend to having healthier, stronger, more capable adults, who in the future will be able to turn a weak society into a thriving community.” – Kimberly Bui, Director of Haiti Village
I had the privilege of being a part of the Healthy Pregnancy Initiative’s weekly check-up for mothers-to-be in Fond Doux, Haiti last month. I was able to witness firsthand the early morning preparations of the clinic to the celebration of newborn babies! What surprised me in the process was how passionate Sonia & Mica, our nurses, were about this newly launched initiative. Hearing them talk about the importance of this program and how they wish it could be much larger to help more women shows me they are taking ownership in making Haiti a better place.
The weekly check-ups are held every Thursday at 8:00am in a room at our Children’s Home. At 7:00am, the nurses begin to sweep, clean and transform a multi-purpose room into a comfortable clinic for the pregnant mothers. They have a binder that keeps track of the progress of every woman. And they also prepare gift bags for mothers who just gave birth, including formula, newborn diapers, wipes, a baby bottle, pacifier, onesies, and more.
That Thursday morning, it started to rain. In rural Haiti, if it rains, everyone stays home because umbrellas are a luxury and most families do not own one. Given that everyone has to walk to the clinic, we did not expect all the women to come. Yet, to our surprise, all the mothers started strolling up the hill one by one, even ones that just gave birth that week! It touched me to see how much they do value this initiative and are taking their health seriously. That day the program manager, Angela Lewis, gave a lesson on breastfeeding and they all went home having learned something new.
This is a true movement of women empowering women. As Elisha C. provides scholarships for these nursing students, they are being equipped to give back to other women through the Healthy Pregnancy Initiative. And these nurses are empowering mothers-to-be to achieve healthy pregnancy! We are so proud of our ladies!
To learn more about this initiative, watch this video!
For only $250, you can help sponsor a mother-to-be for the full duration of her pregnancy! [The sponsorship includes: weekly check-ups | prenatal vitamins | nutrition (protein bars) | clean water | health education | newborn supplies | salaries of two local midwives] To sponsor a mother-to-be, you can donate here.
Love,
Elisha