June 30th, 2010 :: Gearing up for 2010 events
These are the postcards we are sending out as a reminder to folks to give what they can!
June 30th, 2010 :: Gearing up for 2010 events
Wow. Busy couple of weeks. Right now, we are in a very solid place. Thanks to a phenomenal showing from folks in Pittsburgh, we've got more than $15,000 in total contributions. Just to explain, the Pittsburgh showing is thanks to Beatrice Scheuermann's family and friends. Beatrice is a current Peace Corps volunteer who participated in last years event. She'll be working with us this year as well. Beatrice's mom, Michalina Pendzich, spearheaded some fundraising and wow - what a response. With enough funds to pull this off, logistics are now falling into place. I believe we can pull off at least a portion of the follow up sessions even though we did not reach the $25,000 goal (its' not too late!). Some is certainly better than none. Right now, the medical director in Koutiala has provided a budget for both the training and the follow up. We are still planning to start the event around August 9th. the great news is that Dr. Coulibably, the phenomenal trainer from last year will be involved again. A total of approximately 80 matrones will cycle through during the month in groups of 20. Very exciting stuff. Stay tuned for more... 
June 16th, 2010 :: Gearing up for 2010 events
I think I mentioned that we have gotten approval from Peace Corps Mali to work with one of their volunteers, Beatrice Scheuermann, in August. Her support will be vital. Beatrice's family contacted their family and friends and let them know about Mali Midwives' upcoming event and the response has been tremendous. We've received more than 15 contributions from her people - nearly all of whom are in Pittsburgh. Their support put us over our halfway mark!! So I think I'm becoming a Steelers fan. Thanks so much to them for their faith in Beatrice and what Mali Midwives is trying to accomplish.
June 16th, 2010 :: Gearing up for 2010 events
On June 13th we set up a booth in the exhibit hall at the annual meeting for the American College of Nurse Midwives. There was a solid stream of midwives near the table and our effort generated a lot of interest. In total, we raised just over $1,000.00! Interestingly, I actually SOLD the blankets I had brought as decoration for the booth (graciously the buyer agreed to wait until the end of the day to collect her goods). So, I am getting new ideas about how to market our message. I guess that means I'll buy a lot more blankets when I go back to Mali. Regardless, many many thanks to the continued support of the US midwifery community. They have been behind us since the beginning and it is a fantastic feeling. Thanks to everyone who contributed.
June 5th, 2010 :: Gearing up for 2010 events
On June 13th Mali Midwives will have a booth - near the food vendors, no less! - at the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) national meeting in Washington DC. We'll have new postcards and lots of copies of Monique and the Mango Rains for sale. Keep your fingers crossed this is a successful fundraising venture. My experience at ACNM in 2008 was very positive so I am hopeful. If you have other venues you think might be a good fit Mali Midwives, let us know at malimidwives@gmail.com. thanks, Nicole
June 5th, 2010 :: Gearing up for 2010 events
We've had phenomenal couple of weeks. Right now this is the picture:
we had approx 5,000 left over from 2009 events. Adding to that we've raised an additional $7720 - THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE. That puts us HALF WAY THERE! Enormous thanks to everyone who gave. Special recognition to the Helen & William Mazer Foundation, family & friends of Beatrice Scheuermann's family and friends in Pittsburgh, and the Women and Children's Hope Foundation. I am inspired, humbled, and completely energized to continue with the planning for August's event!
May 24th, 2010 :: Gearing up for 2010 events
If you don't know about this book already - check it out: www.moniquemangorains.com
This is a story written by Kris Holloway who was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali. Her host family mother, colleague, and friend was Monique. Monique is EXACTLY the kind of auxiliary midwife, or matrone, that Mali Midwives is dedicated to helping. It's a great read. If you can appreciate Monique's story, you'll understand why it is so important to help Mali Midwives continue its work. Cheers.
May 12th, 2010 :: Gearing up for 2010 events
MALI MIDWIVES
________________________________________
There is no question AMTSL saves lives. The question is:
How long will it take before midwives worldwide can access the training?
A Malian proverb says that a woman in labor has one foot on earth, and one foot in the grave. The proverb is all too true: a woman in Mali, West Africa has a 1 in 15 lifetime chance of dying from childbearing complications . Almost all of these deaths could be avoided with skilled care. Unfortunately, there are few trained providers in the rural areas where most Malian lives. For most Malian women, auxiliary midwives are first and only health care provider they will ever see.
Mali Midwives facilitates continuing education opportunities for auxiliary midwives in Mali. Our goal is to raise $25,000 to sponsor our 2nd education event. We plan to train midwives to use the Active Management of the Third Stage of Labor (AMTSL) prevent postpartum hemorrhage, the major cause of maternal mortality worldwide.
Background
Auxiliary midwives, or matrones, attend 60% of all births that involve a formally trained health worker in Mali . Although these women work in a context of high maternal and neonatal mortality, they are at the bottom of the national medical hierarchy, facing enormous responsibility with few resources. I first worked with matrones in the rural city of Koutiala, Mali as a Peace Corps volunteer (1994-1996), and later as a midwife and researcher (2003-2004). I created Mali Midwives to connect this committed group of women with others who care about maternal health in Mali and other developing settings.
In 2009, we held Mali Midwives’ first continuing education event. Working closely with local health officials, local experts provided continuing education to a group of 82 midwives in “Essential Newborn Care”. The midwives chose this topic because in addition to caring for women, they also care for newborns. The event gave midwives a rare chance to discuss practice issues with peers and supervisors. You can see photos of the training at http://www.malimidwives.org/slides.php . This event’s total cost was just over $8,000.00, or less than 100.00 per participant.
What’s Next?
The 2009 event was so successful plans are underway for a second project. This time the focus will be on the Active Management of the Third Stage of Labor (AMTSL). AMSTL is a technique to prevent postpartum hemorrhage, the major cause of maternal mortality in the world . The evidence is clear: AMTSL can reduce the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage by up to 60% . Preventing hemorrhage is particularly important in a place like Mali because effectively treating a hemorrhage after it starts requires personnel and facilities that are simply out of reach for most women.
Mali Midwives is partnering with the Malian Ministry of Health for this event. In 2009, the Malian Ministry of Health decided to permit auxiliary midwives to use AMSTL. It is now a national priority to train all auxiliary midwives in this skill. Unfortunately, because the health system is overwhelmed, the Ministry cannot train them all. This leaves most women at high risk for hemorrhage and death. I have spoken with Madame Binta Keita, the Director of the Reproductive Health in the Ministry of Health, as well as the local health director in the district where our pilot project was held: both are eager for Mali Midwives to help them reach their goal of training every auxiliary midwife to use AMSTL. Dr. Keita stated that she sees Mali Midwives as a partner in Mali’s strategy to reduce maternal mortality.
The training for AMSTL requires matrones to work in small groups with a facilitator and demonstrate skills until they are proficient. Other areas of Mali have conducted AMTSL training and we will build on their experience. We anticipate it will take 4 weeks to train all 82 auxiliary midwives in one district. The estimated cost of this training is $25,000.00. This covers travel, lodging, food, and a set of resource materials for trainers and participants. This cost will also cover site visits by an expert trainer to small groups of midwives in rural sites. Site visits are crucial because they will provide midwives the opportunity to ask questions and clarify techniques in the field.
Evaluation
A simple pre and post test will be administered before and after the training to gage whether matrons have become proficient in using this life-saving technique. A six month follow up evaluation will also be implemented. This information will inform subsequent continuing education efforts for our organization and the Ministry of Health.
Contributions
By contributing to Mali Midwives, you will help cover the expenses to train 82 auxiliary midwives in Koutiala, Mali. These women will return to their villages with life-saving skills that will help prevent unnecessary deaths related to childbirth in their community.
Mali Midwives is grateful to The Village Project, Inc. for serving as our fiscal sponsor. The Village Project, Inc. is a 501c3 with experience in organizing educational activities abroad. Contributions to Mali Midwives via The Village Project, Inc. are tax-deductible. Contributions can be made on line with PayPal at http://www.malimidwives.org/donate.php Checks payable to The Village Project, Inc. with Mali Midwives written in the memo section can be sent to Mali Midwives c/o Nicole Warren, 4509 Schenley Road, Baltimore Maryland, 21210.
To learn more about Mali Midwives contact us at malimidwives@gmail.com. To read more about postpartum hemorrhage and AMTSL, visit http://www.pphprevention.org/amtsl.php.
Sincerely,
Nicole Warren, PhD, MPH, CNM
President, Mali Midwives
December 3rd, 2009 :: Gearing up for 2010 events
The Helen & William Mazer Foundation made a generous donation toward our 2010 event today. Many thanks!
November 29th, 2009 :: Gearing up for 2010 events
On November 20th I had the chance to attend the wrap-up meetings for the Prevention of Post Partum Hemmorhage Initiative (POPPHI) project in Washington DC. ( http://www.pphprevention.org/overview.php ). This event included researchers, clinicians, and policy makers from all over the world to gather and discuss their efforts during the project's 5 years. POPPHI efforts have focused on the Active Management of the Third Stage of Labor (AMTSL), a technique to prevent postpartum hemorrhage . The results of their efforts to integrate AMTSL into every birth attendant's repertoire of skills are amazing. POPPHI's efforts have changed policy and practice around the world. The best part of the event was meeting Madame Binta Keita, the Director of the Reproductive Health Division of Mali's Ministry of Health. She told me that she is deeply committed to seeing all matrones trained to use AMTSL. This is HUGE because matrones were not previously allowed to use the drug that is needed to perform AMTSL. Now they are. Of course, funding is needed from partners to get all thee matrones trained. She encouraged me to continue to work through the Medical Director in Koutiala to continue to partner with the matrones there. See confirmed that YES they want Mali Midwives to keep working in Koutiala and that YES she is thrilled we can help to get EVERY matrone trained in AMTSL. So I was pleased to have that confirmation, from the very top of the national policy hierarchy, that Mali Midwives' efforts are not only needed and appropriate, but they are directly contributing to the MOH's policies. Bottom line(s): AMTSL save lives. The more matrones know how to use it - the fewer women die. And there is no other way I know of to help to matrones and the women they serve more directly or more efficiently than through Mali Midwives.
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