Update from the Field: Celebrating New Mothers in Israel

COHI’s Rochel Englander reports from Israel

New mother, a Sudanese refugee, benefiting from the COHI-organized event (photo: Jessica Alderman)

When I held Ayen’s hand this week she was saying that she couldn't do it.  She couldn't push the baby out.  She couldn't make it.  “You are so strong, the baby is almost here, just one more push!” the midwife and I kept reiterating. 

Ayen is relentless.  She fled her home in Sudan due to war and genocide, escaped dangerous and unlivable conditions in Egypt, and crossed the border into Israel only to confront numerous challenges. In Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheva, Ayen had her first baby prematurely at 28 weeks.  Eight months later she was back in the hospital laboring at 35 weeks.

This time, however, her birth experience was different – she called me on her way to the hospital. I am a COHI volunteer doula and was on call to accompany Ayen throughout her birth experience. In addition, Soroka had supported the assignment of a COHI volunteer midwife who works at the hospital, Hilary Kirschenbaum, to be assigned to births with the Sudanese community.  This time, Ayen entered the hospital with two advocates: women whom she had met during COHI’s pre-natal care class in her community; women who succeeded in helping her through her birth experience.

Sudanese mothers consulting with Avishag, right, a breast-feeding consultant, at a Haifa women's shelter (photo: Jessica Alderman)

Ayen’s strength held out.  She made it through. She still needs to fight for healthcare and for a voice. Her husband works long hours for minimum wage, and they both face language and cultural barriers at every turn. But at a highly critical moment of Ayen’s life, COHI was able to step forward and offer support. The result is a healthy baby boy weighing 3.3 kilos.

Rochel Englander is a COHI volunteer doula writing from Southern Israel, where COHI has just begun a project with the ever-growing Sudanese refugee community there. COHI, along with its partner Beit Hillel, is providing pre- and post-natal care classes, basic pre-natal check-ups, birth support/accompaniment and advocacy for expecting mothers. Soroka Hospital has supported COHI's efforts on behalf of these women by enabling Hilary Kirschenbaum, a senior staff midwife and COHI volunteer, to be assigned to these births.

Update from the Field: Celebrating International Day of the Midwife in Sudan

COHI’s Erica Meadows reports from Sudan

Attendees at the 2009 International Day of the Midwife, Khartoum, Sudan

I just got back from the Friendship Hall, down on the Nile, where the International Day of the Midwife was being celebrated.  There were at least 200 midwives, all in their traditional white veils – all there to hear about the government's launch of “Scaling up Midwifery in Sudan.”  The program was sponsored by UNFPA, with the goal of introducing the new program for midwives.

Local singer performing at the 2009 International Day of the Midwife, Khartoum, Sudan

The three main focus areas will be strengthening regulation, improving education, and promoting midwives associations. During the launch, one of the spokeswomen from the Ministry of Health called on the government and international donors to continue to provide funds for the UNFPA trust fund, established in 2008, to address the challenges of maternal and infant mortality. The session ended with a live performance by a local singer, who was soon surrounded by the midwives, raising their arms and snapping their fingers as they circled around her and the panel to show their support.

Erica Meadows, MPH, is a COHI volunteer working in Sudan to start a pilot training project that offers training to village midwives from Khartoum and surrounding rural areas.

Thank you to our Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) COHImitted Group of the Spring

Organizers at the "Jeans for Midwives" fundraiser benefiting COHI

This Spring semester, Amanda Makulec, Jamie Mercurio, Rachel Bedenbaugh, Nicha Rungsimanond, and Jason Peterson worked tirelessly on two fundraisers at BUSPH.   With a grand donation from Rag & Bone of over 150 pairs of jeans, the group organized, advertised, and executed a “Jeans for Midwives” campaign, helping to raise nearly $1,500!

In addition, the BUSPH group set up iSearch and iGive accounts where YOU can help COHI by searching and shopping through these websites.  A portion of each purchase on iGive is given to COHI, and on iSearch, $0.02 per search also goes to COHI.  Please add these sites to your bookmarks and help COHI without any cost to you, everyday.

www.igive.com/cohi
www.isearchigive.com/cohi

From all of us at COHI, thanks so much to this fantastic group for all of your hard work!

We’ll be hosting the same type of Rag & Bone Jeans fundraiser soon in NEW YORK CITY with over 250 pairs of jean! More info to come in the next newsletter.

Philly Urban Bicycle Adventure Fundraiser for COHI

Promotional poster for the Philly Urban Bicycle Adventure Fundraiser benefiting COHI

Join us in Philadelphia for a FUNdraiser Scavenger Hunt with all proceeds going towards COHI!  Teams of 4-5 will travel through the heart of Philadelphia on their bikes, learning, having fun, and raising money all at the same time.  Join with a group or as an individual.

Bike on!

Urban Bicycle Adventure is hosted by the Women’s Social Collaborative of Philadelphia.

Date: Saturday, July 13 at 1:00 PM

Where: Meet at Eakins Oval by the Art Museum

Contact: Roz for sign-up at roz.hunter[at]gmail.com