It Takes a Village

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It Takes a Village is our campaign to unite parents with a shared goal – to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother.

Pregnant women and children are often the most vulnerable to serious health problems, but what happens when you live three days walk from the closest clinic? Or there simply aren’t enough trained health workers to support you through a difficult pregnancy?

Maternal health is a huge part of our work at Health Poverty Action. Not only do we support remote health facilities across Asia, Africa and Latin America, but we address the root causes of the problem – by tackling discrimination, by working alongside local government to improve infrastructure, and by providing training traditional birth attendants with the medical skills they need.

Maternal Health in Namibia

Maternal health is a huge part of our work at Health Poverty Action. Not only do we support remote health facilities across Asia, Africa and Latin America, but we address the root causes of the problem – by tackling discrimination, by working alongside local government to improve infrastructure, and by providing training traditional birth attendants with the medical skills they need. Our work in Namibia is funded by the Big Lottery Fund.

Maternal Health Globally

'One foot in the grave’ It’s not the first expression that springs to mind when you find out that you are expecting a baby. But for the world’s poorest women, this phrase is common, because being pregnant and being in danger are one and the same.

  • 99%

    of all maternal deaths occur in developing countries

    due to lack of access to healthcare, poor education and sometimes active discrimination. We work to tackle this.

  • 830

    pregnant women die every day

    these deaths are a result of preventable complications during pregnancy or childbirth. This must change.

  • 79%

    of live births had a skilled health worker present

    things are improving, during the period 2012-2017 nearly 80 percent of births had a skilled health worker to attend. Change is happening.

Meet our It Takes a Village Partners

"We are so fortunate to have great medical care in the UK, but there are so many places where mothers and children don’t have the resources needed. With my pregnant wife being one of the drivers in developing a naturally delicious grown up drink, I felt that Borrago should get behind the It Takes a Village campaign" - Tom Tuke-Hastings, Borrago’s founder

Read more

What your support could do

  • £8.74

    could support our Outreach Officers

    they facilitate community discussions on family planning, reducing the risks of pregnancy by encouraging spacing between children.

  • £20.55

    could provide medical staff with support and training

    the training allows them to implement quarterly blood drives, ensuring no women need to die from blood loss in childbirth.

  • £46.30

    could help to run a weekly radio show

    it broadcasts programs on maternal health, allowing women in remote, inaccessible areas to receive the health education they need to keep themselves safe.

Read our blog from Namibia

Sabrina, from our fundraising team, spent time in Namibia last year discovering stories from mothers and healthcare professionals who are part of the remote San community.

Read the blog

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