Emergency Birthing Kits Service Project

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It was before dawn at the birth center in coastal Leyte when the storm began. Three women were in labor where midwife Gina practices along with her daughter-in-law and her niece. As Typhoon Haiyan came closer, they could hear the wind howling. The three expectant mothers and the two younger midwives became increasingly frightened. Gina put on her bravest face, knowing that there was nothing to do but the work of receiving babies into the world. The electricity was down, the lights were out, and all roads were blocked by the accumulation of flying debris. Babies come when they must, and Gina was committed to keeping everyone calm and ensuring that her clients delivered safely. Before her work was done, the corrugated tin clinic roof had blown away, the rain had poured in, and Gina found herself attending deliveries knee-deep in storm water. It was more than a miracle that everyone in the clinic survived. ” (Read the rest of the article here.)

This story is typical of the work done by Safe Haven – Emergency Villages Inc., a worldwide non-profit organization that distributes birthing kits for refugees and others around the world in need who have low resources to medical care for emergency birthing.

Big Ocean Women is teaming up with Safe Haven and collecting supplies to put together 5 birthing kits and we need your help!

In exchange for putting together the birthing kits, the midwives from Safe Haven will be teaching an emergency childbirth class on August 12th in the Salt Lake Area. Participants will receive a certificate to assist birth in a low resource setting. If you are in the area and would like to attend, please let us know by emailing emily.saddler@yahoo.com and we will add you to our group page.

Here is a link to a spreadsheet of items we need:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10HUwTsHinho1Bt2JMXO1d85q1slOKAMLZn9ggFj4fm4/edit#gid=0

To make shopping and delivery a little easier, we’ve included some items on this Amazon wish list:

http://a.co/fXQ6D8U

If you’d rather just donate some cash (every small bit helps) then we are accepting donations through paypal to bigoceanwomen@gmail.com.  Use the link for family and friends since this is a donation, not a purchase.  Make sure to note that it is for the “birthing kits” Then we will make a trip to the store to purchase the needed items.

If you would like to learn more about Safe-Haven, or to host a class in your area, contact Charlene Campbell 425-246-3265 or charlene@birthjoyedu.com visit  http://www.emergencyvillages.com/