Bloggers combating maternal and infant mortality

In just two weeks’ time, bloggers from all over the globe have come together to rally behind the issue of maternal and infant mortality in developing nations through Bloggers for Birth Kits. Bloggers, and friends of bloggers, have donated 801 clean birth kits, written nearly 40 blog posts, and have tweeted, retweeted, and linked up on facebook hundreds and hundreds of times.

It’s been a world-wide bloggers blitz on the problem of maternal and child health in the developing world.

The World Health Organization reports that one woman dies every minute in pregnancy and childbirth, and often these deaths occur due to preventable causes such as infection. In fact, in 1 in 7 women die in childbirth in rural Papua New Guinea.

That is a statistic that is not only shocking, but moving. And that is exactly why bloggers have been quick to move into action.

My first Bloggers for Birth Kits post went up on May 5, 2011 where I pleaded for women to think about their own birth experiences in stark contrast to the realities of what women in PNG face every day. I explained how a simple birth kit containing five basic items could mean the difference between life and death for these precious women, and how for only $2-$3 we can literally save someone’s life.

After a few days of promoting through social media, women everywhere were jumping on board to get involved. The initiative has been snowballing ever since.

My initial goal was to gather 300 birth kits by the end of 2011; Instead we received 300 kits in less than three days.

Now–less than a month later–the Bloggers for Birth Kits initiative (www.bloggersforbirthkits.com) has already gathered 801 kits, some of which are on their way to Papua New Guinea within the next few days where they will be distributed through medical volunteers on the YWAM Medical Ship.

The response has been overwhelming, and this is obviously an issue that touches a nerve in women’s hearts everywhere. (And men’s too!)

{Just today a box of 24 hand-made birth kits arrived in the mail from a women’s group in Hawaii.}

If you’re interested in getting involved, there are several ways you can do so. You can sponsor clean birthing kits to be made (at $2 per kit), make kits yourself, blog about the cause, or promote through social media. (You can also grab the Bloggers for Birth Kits button on the sidebar and add it to your own blog.) All the details for involvement are outlined here.

Additionally, here is a video with the story of the inspiration behind Bloggers for Birth Kits, as well as a tutorial on how to make your own clean birth kits if you’d like to contribute in that way. (If you just want to watch the tutorial section of the video, fast forward to mid-way through.)

Dear friends, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your involvement in this cause that means so much to me. I have full confidence that your time, efforts, donations, and promotions are making an incredible impact for good in the lives of hundreds of women in need… as well as the future of a nation.

So grateful,
Adriel

Above photo of woman and child in PNG courtesy of YWAM Medical Ships.