this newsletter was paid for by a generous bequest | photo by william vazquez

Equipping MidwivEs

to Save LiveS Supporting maternal health

during disasters and every day

dirEctrEliEf.org

2 directrelief.org | spring 2015 directrelief.org | spring 2015 3

Ebola crisis Underscores Need for Midwife Kits

“You don’t send a farmer to the field without a hoe. and

you can’t send a midwife to the

community without the tools she needs.”

– marie sheriff, top graduate in 2013 of the makeni school of midwifery

For five years, Direct Relief has worked with Medical Research Centre (MRC) in Sierra Leone, a local organization that was instrumental in establishing the Makeni School of Midwifery in 2010. The school is one of only two midwifery schools in Sierra Leone, providing much-needed training

in a country where 1 in 23 women die in pregnancy and childbirth. Since the partnership began, each graduate has been equipped with a Midwife Kit to enable them to perform their life-saving skills. Unfortunately, the school was forced to close last year because of the Ebola outbreak in WestAfrica. More than 10,000 people, including more than 500 health workers, have died from the epidemic. No midwife from Makeni Midwifery School has contracted Ebola, in part because of the equipment from MRC and Direct Relief. Staff at the midwifery school are now working to resume classes for the 150 men and women who attend. As the region works to re-establish the health system, public health experts have noted that among Ebola’s consequences is its devastating impact on maternal health.1

At the height of the Ebola crisis, many health workers were reported to refuse to treat patients out of fear of infection. These fears about Ebola and stories of pregnant women being turned away have caused many pregnant women to stop seeking prenatal care or assistance with delivery. In working to help the region strengthen the health system and restore trust, Direct Relief has sentmore than 250 Midwife Kits to three local health partners in Sierra Leone and Liberia. These tools, inthe hands of skilled midwives, will help mothers in West Africa safely deliver new life in an area thathas experienced more death in the last year than many can imagine.

1 Haden, E. (2015, March 4). Maternal Health: Ebola’s Lasting Legacy. 2 Doucleff, M. (2014, Nov. 18). Dangerous Deliveries: Ebola Leaves Moms and Babies Without Care.

Enabling safe births in Sierra Leone. photo: wiLLiam vazquEz

midwife Kit being delivered to Babatngon Leyte Birthing Clinic, philippines. an area hard hit by typhoon haiyan.

in response to the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25, Direct Relief immediately contacted several existing partner organizations in Nepal to offer help. Members of the

emergency response team arrived within 36 hours to coordinate relief efforts – and extend an offer of Direct Relief ’s available inventory – valued at $100M – to address any needs. The situation is still unfolding and Direct Relief is committed to providing essential medicines and supplies needed by in-country health provider partners as well as broad scale help on the national level. One Heart World-Wide, which focuses on improving maternal health, is among the Nepal-based partner organizations Direct Relief has supported for several years. Since the partnership began, Direct Relief has helped upgrade 10 of One Heart World-Wide’s birthing facilities and has provided graduates of the organization’s birth atten-dant training program with Midwife Kits, enabling them to use their life-saving skills. Unfortunately, several of the birthing centers were destroyed in the earthquake. One Heart World-Wide is committed to rebuilding the centers and continuing to ensure pregnant women in rural regions of Nepal have access to a clean and safe delivery, and Direct Relief is committed to supporting this effort. The partnership is more impor-tant than ever.

“Direct Relief ’s support enables us to rapidly implement a program that has been proven to work in this very fragile environment,” said Arlene Samen, executive director and CEO of One Heart World-Wide. On an ongoing basis, Direct Relief supports several Nepal-based hospitals, delivery centers, midwifery programs, and other organiza-tions involved in health-service delivery. Since 2008, Direct Relief has delivered more than $1 million worth (wholesale) of medicines and supplies to excellent, committed partners in Nepal.

nEpal EarthquakE: Responding to Urgent Health Needs

– updatE –

thanks to the vision and dedication of a group of 200 women volunteers in Santa Barbara, Direct Relief has delivered Midwife Kits to enable 30,000 safe births around the world.

Direct Relief Women (DRW) support the work of Direct Relief ’s maternal and child health work through education, service, and finan-cial giving. “What moves these women to be involved is very personal,” said Mari Mitchel, DRW Chair. “We are all so grateful for the care that we received when our children were born. We believe every woman deserves that.” Since coming together around supporting safe births more than

five years ago, members of DRW enabled Direct Relief to kick-start its Midwife Kit Program – an initiative that has received endorsement and recognition from the International Confederation of Midwives. DRW has primarily accomplished this feat through their annual Mother’s Day fundraising event, held each year in Mayat a private home. Additionally, they do hands-on service activities such as pack-ing personal care packs for people in need and Dignity Kits for women living with obstetric fistula. Direct Relief – and the tens of thousands of babies who were deliv-ered safely – are forever grateful to this group of women who have given their heart and soul to the work of protecting mothers and babies.

Extraordinary Women, global iMpact

Direct Relief women

volunteering their time

at the warehouse.

Helping EnsuresafE dElivEriEs

it is staggering that 289,000 women die each year from preventable complications occurring during pregnancy and childbirth, and that 99% of these deaths occur in developing countries. The best way to keep mothers and newborns safe is to ensure that every safe birth is attended

by a skilled and equipped healthcare provider such as a midwife. Midwives play an essential role in preventing maternal and newborn deaths, with specialized training enables them to attend routine deliveries, manage basic complications, and recognize when to refer a woman for emergency obstetric care. To help ensure midwives have the tools they need for their work, Direct Relief in collaboration with the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) designed a midwife kit, which ICM formally endorsed as the standard. Equipping trained midwives with needed materials is a high-impact, low-cost intervention to protect the health and lives of expectant mothers and their babies. Designed for facility-based deliveries, each Midwife Kit contains the 59 items a midwife needs to provide 50 safe births. Valued at $1,250, each Kit equates to roughly $25 per safe birth.

Direct Relief has a long history of supporting Nepal-based midwifery programs and delivery centers to improve maternal and child mortality.

800 women die each day from complications during pregnancy or childbirth.

90% of these deaths are preventable.

the single most important intervention for safe delivery is the presence of a trained health care provider, such as a midwife, at every birth.

Direct Relief equips midwives with midwife Kits to ensure safe deliveries.

Direct Relief’s goal = enable

350,000 safe deliveries over the next

5 yearsvision:Every child delivered safely.Every delivery attended.Every midwife equipped.

Happy Mother’s DayA gift has been made in your honor that will protect a mother during pregnancy & childbirth and safely bring a baby into the world.

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Dotsy* & Jack* AdamsPeter & Rebecca AdamsJane H. Alexander TrustAnner TrustThe Romuald Anthony & Barbara R. Anthony Revocable TrustEstate of Rhea ApplewhiteAnonymousDr. & Mrs. Gilbert L. AshorEstate of Miriam & William BaileyEstate of Charles H. BellElizabeth Bertuccelli Family TrustMerle E. Betz, Jr.Estate of D. Craig BigelowMr. Joseph F. BleckelMr. Phillip BrantMs. Jayne Brechwald & Mr. Gary ElkinsMrs. Helen J. BrownEstate of Marguerite BulfDon BullickWilliam S. BurtnessAndrew & Elizabeth ButcherMs. Carol CarsonMs. Catherine CashEstate of Charlotte CastaldeEstate of June M. CelmaysterEstate of Richard CertoMs. Patricia J. ClancyThe Crosby FundMarjorie B. Cullman TrustRoy R. & Laurie M. Cummins FundEstate of Margaret E. DavisEstate of Peter M. DeardenEstate of H. Guy Di StefanoMr. Philip M. DorringtonGrant C. Ehrlich TrustMr. & Mrs.* Edward G. EwingEstate of Elsie FeibesEstate of Florence FeilerDr. Julie Feinsilver

Estate of Howard C. FentonPeggy & Gary FinefrockEstate of June Breton FisherMr. & Mrs. Gregg L. FosterEstate of Mario J. FrosaliMildred K. Fusco TrustEstate of Hannah Monica GallagherSandra K. GarciaMs. Pearl Garcia-BakerEstate of June GaudyGildeson Family TrustKate & Dick GodfreyMs. Pamela GuntherEstate of Linda M. HansonEd & Mary Harvey TrustMrs. Raye HaskellBetty & Stan HatchEstate of Dorothy S. HitchcockEstate of Sibyl Wilma HolderTerrence Joseph HughesEstate of Dorothy HumistonEstate of Wendell IngEllen & Peter JohnsonPat & Dick JohnsonMs. Beverly A. JonesEstate of Judith JonesMr. & Mrs. Herbert KendallEstate of Dale E. KernDr. Laurence P. KerriganMrs. Marvel KirbyJohn & Sandy Knox-JohnstonJohn Michael KoelschMr. James KohnThe Anette La Hough TrustDorothy Largay & Wayne RosingShirley & Seymour LehrerEstate of the Lensch FamilyKenneth R. LohEstate of Barbara Jeanne Lotz

Lawrence LuEstate of Yvonne C. LucassenEvelyn C. Lund Charitable Remainder TrustMr. John A. Magnuson* and Mrs. Dorothy MacCullochEstate of Mary C. MacEwanEstate of Robert MacleanMarilyn & Frank* MagidEstate of Glenda MartinAudrey E. MartinsonMartone Family TrustAlixe Reed MattinglyKathleen & Bruce McBroomMs. Estelle MeadoffMr. Michael MendelsonMr. & Mrs. Frank B. MilesPatricia McNulty MitchellCharles J. & Esther R. Mlynek TrustEstate of Velma MorrellHelga Angenendt MorrisEstate of Regis J. MorrisRita MoyaEstate of Dorothy & Graham NashAngeline M. O’Meara TrustMr. Michael P. O’Neill & Mrs. Sarah M. O’Neill*Estate of James OrrEstate of Harold A. ParmaEstate of William J. PartridgeJody & Don PetersenMartin & Lillian Platsko TrustMark & Josephine PolakoffAlan R. PorterMr. Juan PosadaEstate of Robert J. RegisEstate of Nancy RobertsEstate of Paul N. RobertsRegina & Rick RoneyEstate of Maria Rosmann

lEavE a lEgacYa bequest or planned gift to Direct Relief can extend your generosity beyond your lifetime. Your commitment and dedication will help people in the u.S. and around the world live better, healthier lives far into the future. with such a gift, you will be included in the Legacy Society, which recognizes visionary and caring individuals who have included Direct Relief in their estate plans.

For more information on planned giving, contact millie Barrett at mBarrett@DirectRelief.org or 805-879-4984.

legacy society members

The Babette L. Roth Irrevocable TrustNatalie & Matthew RoweMr. & Mrs. Ernest J. SalomonMaryan & Richard* SchallThe Petar Schepanovich* & Kathleen Schepanovich TrustNancy and Bill* SchlosserEstate of June H. SchuerchHarold & Carol ShroutSledge Family TrustConnie J. SmithEstate of Margaret H. SmithEstate of Thelma R. SmithEstate of Robert H. SommerEstate of Charles H. SparkesEstate of Mary Joan StavesEstate of K. Walter StawickiEstate of Elaine F. StepanekWalter & Mae Stern TrustThe Anna Stuurmans Revocable TrustEstate of Henry A. Thedick, Jr.Estate of Wilbur H. Thies, Sr. & Emily P. ThiesEstate of Elna TheusenEstate of Grace A. TicknerTilton Family FoundationDonn V. TognazziniCarol Van den Assem TrustEstate of Marie L. Van SchieLiz VaughnBettine* & Lawrence WallinMr. Dana WhiteMrs. Dorothy D. WinkeyEstate of Simone G. WoodcockThe Wurzel TrustLinda Seltzer YawitzMarjorie Lynn Zinner

* deceased

A gift has been made in your honor that will

protect a mother during pregnancy & childbirth

and safely bring a baby into the world.

Happy Mother’s Day

Honor a motHer

by

protecting another

$25 = 1 SaFE BiRth Send mom an e-card

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