Birthing Kits - providing a clean and safe birth

We are so pleased to share the story of Janeth from Tanzania, who delivered her son, Joshua, with the use of a Birthing Kit.

On 26 December 2015, Janeth was taken to hospital having gone into labour nearly two months before her due date.

Whilst Janeth was fortunate to reach a hospital, had she not previously received a Birthing Kit, the outcome may have been quite different.  Many hospitals simply don’t provide the simple essentials for a safe, clean birth with women expected to supply these items themselves.  At worst, labouring women are turned away, left to deliver alone or at home.

The midwife asked if she had a birthing kit. She did. It had been given to her by Hurumia Watoto, a small organisation in Northern Tanzania dedicated to improving the health of women and girls. This group had distributed kits provided by Birthing Kit Foundation (Australia).

With the help of the Birthing Kit, Janeth delivered a healthy baby boy.

Janeth says:

“At first I feared that the kit would not be enough and I asked for two on the day of distribution. But one kit was enough and I kept one which I plan to give to my friend who is pregnant. Many women need your help here in Tanzania because many cannot afford to buy the list of materials hospitals suggest – and this leads to many women having unsafe deliveries”.

Hurumia Watoto, based in Northern Tanzania are a partner of Birthing Kit Foundation (Australia). If you would like to support our work, please make a donation here.

Just $3 pays for one Birthing Kit. Just $3 can help a baby like Joshua arrive safely into this world.