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In Malawi 1 in 15 children die before they reach the age of 5, and 1 in 250 women die during pregnancy and childbirth.
You can help mothers help themselves, their children and their communities in rural Malawi.
What MaiMwana does:
MaiMwana means "mother and child." They are a research and development organisation based in the rural district of Mchinji in Malawi.
We work directly with mothers to help them help themselves and their children. Our methods work: they've led to a 70% reduction in deaths amongst mothers during pregnancy and birth.
How do they do it?
MaiMwana works with local communities to help them help themselves. We do this in a range of ways.
We train women to produce radio programmes to educate themselves. We help them lobby for bicycle ambulances so that women in labour can get to a health centre in time.
Our women's groups identify problems and act together to solve them. Peer counselling, using mobile phones to gather and spread information, and finding out why people are dying, have all led to a dramatic reduction in deaths and improvements in health.
Our work has been featured on the BBC
We plan to improve and expand our community work, by involving men, working on family planning, improving nutrition, and improving child health.
"It's not a drug. It's not a vaccine. It's not a device. It's women, working together, solving problems, saving lives." Richard Horton, Editor of The Lancet
Why support them:
Securing funding for MaiMwana's on-going support of communities is a challenge. Your donation will allow MaiMwana to continue working hand in hand with the local health management team, reaching the most isolated and vulnerable communities, and helping women save lives.
The Team:
The MaiMwana team is made up of 80 incredibly dedicated staff, including over 50 field workers, data officers, nurses and midwives, PhD students and young Malawian researchers, as well as over 2,000 volunteers across the district.
The team is led by project manager Tambosi Phiri, a nurse by background, who has spent the last 10 years working with the local health management team. We also have partners at University College London, and the project's wonderful directors (Peter and Charles, both paediatricians), all dedicated to improving the lives of women and children in Mchinji.
You can help us by:
- Donating money to help us continue the work saving the lives of mothers and children
- Sharing the campaign through social media
- Following updates and those of our partners (and here!)
By donating or sharing the campaign, you can help us save lives and improve the health and well being of communities in rural Malawi, so please donate and share!
