History

The Birthing Kit Foundation (Australia) was established in September 2006. Previously the Zonta Birthing Kit Committee, a group of individuals operating under the direction of the Zonta Club of the Adelaide Hills Inc, developed and administered the Birthing Kit Project.

The Birthing Kit Foundation (Australia) has become the administration arm of the National Zonta Birthing Kit Project from 2007. Over 100 Zonta Clubs, high schools, midwifery and medical students and community groups raise funds and hold Assembly Days to assemble Zonta Birthing Kits ready to be packaged and posted to their final destinations.

The Zonta Birthing Kit Project

• 1999 the Zonta Club of Adelaide Hills Inc. assembled and distributed 100 simple birthing kits to women in Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea
• 2003 the project was accepted as a Zonta International District 23 project to 2006
• 2004 the project went national with Zonta International District 24 support.
• 2004 a 2 year contract was signed with AusAID to sponsor the Zonta Birthing Kit Project
• July 2004 to August 2005, 93,000 kits were distributed to 26 countries through 17 NGOs.
• 2005 the project was accepted as a Zonta International District 23 and District 24 initiative until 2008
• September 2005 until December 2006, 140,000 kits were distributed to 28 countries through 36 NGOs.
• September 2006 the Birthing Kit Foundation (Australia) was established to administer the Zonta Birthing Kit Project
• 2007 onwards, Zonta Clubs and other project supporters will continue to make Zonta Birthing Kits for the Zonta Birthing Kit Project

The project has been supplying kits to women in developing countries, while also supporting community development and sustainability programs.

Accreditations

AusAID Support

In July 2004 a two year contract was signed with AusAID on a dollar for dollar basis, with 50% of Zonta’s matched money made up of in volunteer skills and time.

The project grew from supplying PNG with 100 kits in 1999 to supplying over 340,000 kits to 30 countries through over 40 Organizations with financial support from AusAID, Zonta District 23 and 24 clubs, high school students, University students and community groups.

The kits are sent to countries in the Asia, Pacific and Africa region.

Future

THE BIRTHING KIT FOUNDATION (AUSTRALIA) aims to:

• Distribute Birthing Kits to women in developing countries to provide for a clean and safe birth.
• Develop health initiatives to provide clean birthing environments in remote communities and to work towards sustainable solutions.
• Administer the Birthing Kit Foundation (Australia) with integrity, efficiency and accountability.
• Produce the quantity of Birthing Kits within the budget and to continue to develop processes to increase the project’s efficiency and cost effectiveness.
• Raise the awareness of the Birthing Kit Project nationally and globally.

Initially the project was purely a supplier of kits to women in developing countries through Traditionally Midwife Training Programs. It introduced communities and governments to the simple concept of clean basic easily transportable Birthing Kits, and how they could save lives. Now the Birthing Kit Foundation (Australia) will encourage the establishment of Community Development programmes where the government or local community establish their own midwifery training programmess and eventually source their own supplies and make their own kits.

The Foundation will oppose and not be a willing party to wrongdoing, corruption, bribery or other financial impropriety in any of its activities.