Selicia’s Story

“So many women bleed at home and don’t get proper assistance,” says Selicia, a mother from Malawi. Thanks to the help of her local health group, set up by Women and Children First, enabled by our supporters, Selicia had a safe delivery of her beautiful baby daughter, Chimoga.

In Malawi too many new mothers still face overwhelming barriers to getting the important support they need for a safe birth in a clean health centre, with a skilled midwife there to care for them and their new baby.

It’s shocking that adolescent, vulnerable young women are twice as likely to die during childbirth compared to other age groups.

Those that need the help the most have the least access to support services. Every time a woman chooses to have a baby, they are putting their lives at risk. These deaths are unnecessary. The problems they face are preventable or treatable.

With birth rates increasing, the problem is growing. It requires action. Now.

Women and Children First is starting new work in Malawi to support women and girls with their sexual and reproductive health and rights.

With our partners 500 new groups will be formed to support and empower extraordinary women in the most rural, remote communities – reducing the risk of unnecessary deaths.

Community groups are led by inspirational local women, which bring people together to find solutions to their biggest health problems.

These groups change and save lives, providing women at their most vulnerable time with the support they need. Previous groups have seen a 14% increase in deliveries of babies with a skilled attendant and a 35% rise in knowledge of danger signs.

Selicia says, “During my first pregnancy I delivered at home using a traditional village midwife. I had complications because I had an early labour, and my baby was severely jaundiced. I’ve been coming to the women’s health group meetings for six months. In the meetings we learn about the importance of antenatal care, and they encourage deliveries at health centres.

“I’ve learnt about the dangers of delivering at home. Now there is a bicycle ambulance to get us to the facility on time. Women are helped. Pregnancy complications are avoided.

“I learned that waiting at the health facility is good, so that we don’t deliver the baby on the way! The village head encourages women to deliver at the facility. The men arrange transport for the women.

“Thanks to the group I prepared for my birth early and was made aware of early warning signs. My husband came with me to the hospital. Everything went well.”

How you can help

Your gift could change a woman’s pregnancy and childbirth for the better, so mothers like Selicia are not alone when they go into labour.

Your gift could help in the following ways:

£30 could pay for 2 packs of picture cards, showing important information about the danger signs women face in pregnancy, and ways of overcoming them

£40 could cover the costs for 6 women to attend their local group for 12 months

£50 could fund an inspirational women’s health group leader for a whole year

You can also help all-year round by setting up a monthly donation: £12.50 per month could help run a women’s health group for almost 2 months.

Thank you to our donors for your support. Such life-changing solutions, successes and impacts are only possible thanks to the kindness of people like you.

You enable us to do this. You empower women to take the lead to overcome problems and find solutions. Thank you.