Pregnancy, Birth and Motherhood Without Fear

Here is a short report from Merren, HHA’s Development Director, who visited our projects in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, earlier this year:

I’ve just returned from a trip to Haiti, where I spent time visiting our maternal and infant healthcare projects. While the visit was filled with moments of hope and joy, it was also a sobering reminder of the immense need—and of the critical importance of supporting mothers and babies in regions where pregnancy and childbirth remain incredibly dangerous.

At Fort Saint Michel, a small but vital health clinic in one of Cap-Haïtien’s poorest neighbourhoods, I met with health workers delivering our community healthcare programme for mothers and babies. This initiative provides antenatal consultations, postnatal home visits, 'Mothers’ Clubs' for education, and training for Traditional Birth Attendants to promote safer home births. It is a lifeline for women who would otherwise have no access to healthcare during pregnancy.

However, the programme is at risk. The clinic recently lost a major international funding source, leaving Community Health Workers unpaid for over a month. Despite this, many have continued to work voluntarily, driven by their deep commitment to protecting mothers and newborns. As we walked through the community, women—having heard about the funding cuts—stopped us in the street to share, with urgency and emotion, just how much this programme means to them and their families. It was a powerful reminder of the critical need to keep this work going. We are now working closely with our local partners to ensure support continues, because without it, too many women and babies will be left without care.

At Justinien University Hospital (JUH)—the largest government hospital in northern Haiti—it was encouraging to witness firsthand the life-saving impact of our support. We have seconded an expert paediatrician, donated five mOm incubators, and are providing medical-grade oxygen and financial assistance for vulnerable families.

It was here that I met Baby Justinien, who was born prematurely on the street. His mother, who has learning disabilities, was unable to care for him, and a kind stranger brought him to JUH. He was in a critical condition, but thanks to the incubators and oxygen your support has helped provide, the doctors and nurses were able to stabilise him. They named him Justinien—after the hospital—and in an extraordinary act of compassion, the staff are now taking turns caring for him as if he were their own.

As Merren describes so movingly, the challenges and needs in Haiti are vast. Funding cuts to an already fragile health system could be catastrophic. But thanks to your continued support, we are working hard to maintain and strengthen care for the most vulnerable—especially mothers and newborns. We have exciting plans for the months and year ahead in Haiti, and we look forward to sharing more updates with you as they develop.