Two Drops in the Ocean

From the documentary "Skin to Skin" (youtube)

An Israeli midwife, Leslie Wolff, and Palestinian midwife, Aisha Saifi, were featured in a recent documentary (youtube) film highlighting their work together through COHI. The relationship so clearly seen here is nothing short of inspirational at this time when tensions are high in the region. COHI is continuing our call for support for this initiative, as the need for dialogue and partnership in the Middle East has never been stronger. Please click here to support Leslie, Aisha, and other women like them in the region who are living their commitment to peace everyday.

A Safe House to Give Birth in

FLEMAFA CEO Faridah Mgunda posing next to the newly purchased plot of land where the new birth center will be located

COHI's partner in Tanzania, FLEMAFA, recently purchased the piece of land that will house the region's first birth center! FLEMAFA provides support to women and their providers in Kisarawe, Tanzania. After several years of attempting to address the urgent need for transportation to a distant facility offering Emergency Obstetric Care, COHI and FLEMAFA are bring the needed care to Kisarawe through the construction and staffing of this birth center. Funds are needed to begin construction, please click here to donate now.

Sudan Project Update

Sudanese woman with her baby

COHI has started a new initiative based in Khartoum, Sudan, led by Erica Meadows, MPH.  Working with a local women's health organization, Sudan Fertility Care Association, COHI plans to start a pilot training project to offer training to village midwives from Khartoum and surrounding rural areas.  Sudan has a very high rate of maternal mortality as well as extremely high infant mortality rates, and due to the lack of medical infrastructure, the majority of women deliver their babies at home with the help of birth attendants. The curriculum for the midwives and traditional birth attendants will focus on safe delivery and will have a strong emphasis on how and when to refer women to the hospital in case of complicated pregnancies/deliveries. The Khartoum State Ministry of Health has already endorsed the project through the Departments of Primary Health Care and Reproductive Health Care.  We're all looking forward to the first day of classes and seeing our midwives in the classroom for this much-anticipated training.

If you are interested in learning more or would like to know how you can contribute, email erica.meadows33[at]gmail.com.

2009 Board of Directors

January begins the terms of services for members of COHI's Board of Directors. Please click here to learn more about the committed women taking on leadership duties here at COHI.

V-day Update

For our second year, COHI is teaming up with V-Day (a global movement to end violence against women and girls) to help feature shows throughout the US and abroad! Currently COHI V-Day events are scheduled from the end of February to the end of April in the U.S. in New York City (NY), Baltimore (MD), San Francisco (CA), Greenville (NC), and in Israel in Beer Sheva, Haifa, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv. Each event will be different with performances of "The Vagina Monologues" and "A Memory, a Monologue, a Rant and a Prayer" be performed, screenings of "Until the Violence Stops'' and possibly "What I Want My Words to Do To You".

In addition, while not V-Day-sponsored events, two groups in Seattle and Philadelphia are hoping to host teach-ins where they will focus on violence against women and girls as well as women's health to further their community's knowledge on these issues.

Dates are TBA but please feel free to email leilani[at]cohintl.org if you'd like more information (or would like to help in any fashion)!

Aloha,
Leilani Johnson, MPH
International COHI V-Day Coordinator
leilani[at]cohintl.org

Interning at COHI

Presha Rajbhandari

Presha Rajbhandari works as a Senior Program Coordinator at Jhpiego, an affiliate of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, USA. She backstops program on maternal and newborn health, cervical cancer, and family Planning in Indonesia and Nepal. Presha has a Bachelors degree in Chemistry in Environmental Studies from Grinnell College, Iowa. She is currently enrolled in a part-time Masters in Public Health program at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Presha is from Nepal. She is working with COHI to develop guidelines for identification and management of Posttraumatic stress syndrome in pregnant women in emergency- and post-emergency settings.

In her words: "In essence, I chose to work with COHI because of its work with women in crisis settings. Since then I have come to appreciate the closeness, flexibility, and opportunities that comes with working in a small organization. I am grateful for this opportunity to work with some of the best in the field and am constantly inspired by them." 

President Obama Lifts the Global Gag Rule

President Obama speaks to reporters with Congressional leaders, Jan. 23. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Those of us involved in Reproductive Health breathed a collective sigh of relief this week when President Obama overturned The Mexico City Policy, otherwise knows as the Global Gag rule. This law prohibited millions of dollars from reaching organizations, like COHI, around the world who are committed to addressing ALL of a woman's options in her reproductive and sexual health. COHI looks forward to future positive directions in our field with the appointment of Hillary Clinton as the new U.S. Secretary of State. This could be a great year for women, and our health care providers around the world. Let us hope the trend continues.

COHI's 2009 Wish List

• Donated office space in Boston (a monthly tax deduction for part of the monthly rent in return!)
• Donated air miles for field travel (a tax deduction for estimated value)
• Volunteer Grant writer
• Scanner