Mildmay Kenya has played a vital role in strengthening health services and empowering communities in Western Kenya for almost 15 years. We would like to tell you about the urgent need for the development of a Safe Family Project within a vulnerable community on Mageta Island.
Mageta is an isolated Island just off the coast of Kisumu, of the 12,361 inhabitants, 24.8% are living with HIV. Travelling across the Island to access healthcare is very challenging due inhospitable terrain and limited suitable transport. This is particularly affecting women who are pregnant, in labour or those with young babies. Testing for HIV is a vital component of ante-natal and post-natal care. If a woman tests positive for HIV, intervention at this early stage can prevent the transmission of HIV to the baby.
Mageta Island is located in Siaya County, a region in Western Kenya that contributes to over 70% of new HIV infections in children.
The difficulties of travelling across Mageta Island means that two-thirds of HIV positive women within this community are unable to access pre and post-natal care. Currently pregnant women have to walk over six miles to the island’s clinic. The only transport in emergency is a motorbike which cannot meet the need effectively or safely. Maternal mortality in this area exceeds the national average by 42% due to difficulty in accessing dedicated maternity care in time.
Can you help? Mildmay Kenya want to create a Safe Family Project, to protect the lives of women and their unborn children as well as provide essential follow up care.
The Safe Family Project will provide:
• Training for 30 Community Health Volunteers in emergency obstetric care. Each CHV reaches around 100 households.
• Education for communities which will relay the importance of clinical maternity care.
• Vital post natal care, also providing testing for HIV.
• A modified Tuk Tuk that will become the Island’s ambulance, enabling pregnant women to deliver their babies at Mageta’s health facility. The ambulance will be able to navigate the difficult terrain of the Island safely and will also be equipped to deal with on the road emergency.
Impact:
• 6,495 women will be reached annually through this project.
• The reduction of maternal deaths in childbirth and the prevention of the transmission of HIV from mother to baby.
• An enormous benefit to the community as trained Community Health Volunteers will provide maternity and emergency obstetric care and also share their knowledge.
• The emergency vehicle will become community property and they will be supported to run it sustainably as a vital community resource.
Tuk Tuk Ambulance
£10 Could provide essential fuel to run the emergency ambulance
£20 Could provide a Fetoscope to listen to the unborn babies heartbeat
£45 Could buy three months of medical and nursing supplies for our emergency ambulance
£110 Could provide 5 days training for a Community Health Volunteer (CHV).
Your donation could help us to empower this community and save lives by providing this crucial service in Kenya.
You can donate by visiting our donate page or by calling 0207 6136311
On behalf of us all at Mildmay and the community on Mageta Island, thank you so much.