DR Congo, Kenya, Rwanda

Project Overview

In Kenya 70% of women deliver at home and traditional birth attendants have no access to materials, hence the importance of a clean birth kit. The BKFA has worked in Kenya since 2005 supplying kits and since 2008 we included the distribution of kits with a 3 - 5 day midwifery training seminar. At these training programmes 80 or so TBAs (Traditional Birth Attendants) from remote regions are educated and given a training manual in the local language. Some kits are allocated for distribution to remote regions.

All 3 countries have extremely high maternal mortality rates of 1000:100,000 live births in Kenya, 990:100,000 live births in DR Congo, and 1400:100,000 live births in Rwanda.

BKFA has targeted DR Congo and Kenya as countries of high priority for our future support.

We work with:

1. Mission in Health Care and Development

2. Peace and Conflict Resolution

3. Talent Search Youth Group

4. Sweet Mother International

5. World Youth International

Participating Organisations

1. Mission in Health Care and Development (MHCD) (http://www.mhcdafrica.org)

Mission in Health Care and Development (MHCD) Dr Luc Mulimbalimba Masururu, the Medical director of MHCD, is our key person who coordinates the distribution of our kits along with 3 - 5 day Midwifery training seminars in Kenya and DR Congo. At the seminars the women are accommodated and fed while they discuss hygiene, nutrition and midwifery issues and each attendee / birth attendant receives a pictorial instruction book in the local language to take back to their village. The birthing kits supply the resources for a clean birth to accompany the education. Dr Elaine Dietsch a senior lecturer and research fellow at Charles Sturt University, NSW, Australia, often accompanies Dr Luc on his travels. Dr Dietsch has recently completed a research paper on "the experience of being a traditional midwife(TM) in inland Kenya and the impact of resources (birthing kits) funded by the Birthing Kit Foundation Australia (BKFA) and the Australian Government (AusAID) on TM practices.

The first training seminar was in March 08 in Bungoma District, Kenya which has 200 villages, and a total population of approximately 100,000. MHCD had identified 30 Villages with 80 midwives requiring further training. There are still some 170 villages near Bungoma not covered in 2008 - 2009 needing training and kits. Over 75% of women in the surrounding area give birth with a traditional midwife.

The second training seminar was in Kaharoro which is a village found in Uvira district in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Uvira is one of the Districts of South Kivu province, D. R. Congo. Again a highly successful 3 day seminar with 110 attendees when only 80 were invited.

The latest 5 day traditional midwifery training seminar was held in April 09 for the Maasai Mara people of southern Kenya. 100% of all births are at home. These people are nomadic with little change for over 500 years. They still live in cow dung huts. However, they agreed to use birthing kits as long as they came with a training programme. 40 Traditional Birth Attendants and local women were trained with another 400 women wanting training. Their instruction booklet was totally pictorial as most attendees were illiterate. The women were accommodated in tents and fed for the 5 days. The traditional breakfast supplied to the women at the seminar was fresh cow blood and milk.

In 2007 - 2008 Dr Luc Mulimbalimba Masururu in Kenya received 2800 kits. Dr Nguliro Masururu Freddy distributed 200 kits in DR Congo and Dr Joseph Kabenga supervised distribution of 400 kits in Rwanda via Centre Hospitalier CELPA to local community leaders in Cyangugu Rwanda.

Since the start of the partnership with MHCD, the BKFA has provided 43,500 kits with a further 15,000 kits to be provided in 2012.

2. Peace and Conflict Resolution (www.peaceconflictresolutionproject.webs.com)

Peace and Conflict Resolution was founded in Bukavu, South-Kivu by Pastor Samuel Muderhwa and his wife Faida in 2004. Since the establishment of the partnership the BKFA has provided 13,000 birthing kits and hopes to provide a further 5,000 kits in 2012.

3. Talent Search Youth Group (www.tsgkenya.org)

Talent Search Youth Group is a relatively new partner organisation, joining in 2011. They are based in Bungoma, Kenya. To date they have received 4,600 birthing kits and hope to receive a further 5,000 in 2012

4. Sweet Mother International (www.sweetmotherinternational.org)

Sweet Mother International is another new partner organisation based in Kakamega, Kenya. They are currently awaiting 200 pilot kits. Once these have been successfully received it is hoped that in 2012, they can receive a further 3000 kits.

5. World Youth International (www.worldyouth.org.au)

World Youth International became a BKFA partner in early 2012. 200 pilot kits are currently on their way and on successful receipt of these kits it is hoped that another 200 kits can be promptly sent.