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Social Good Mom’s Breastfeeding Story Published by Gates Foundation
We are thrilled that one of our members is published on Impatient Optimists today. Read her post: A Mother’s Story in Nigeria: Breastfeeding Saves Lives. Jayne Whyte is a maternal health advocate and entrepreneur based in Abuja, Nigeria. Jayne participated in our 24 hour marathon where we shared moving breastfeeding stories and spreading the word…
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24 Hours, 24 Moms, 24 Poignant Breastfeeding Stories #FirstHour
For 24 straight hours that started on Thursday, February 21 at 9 AM through Friday, February 22 at 9 AM members of the Global Team of 200 shared moving, intimate, personal breastfeeding stories on their blogs and spread the word about Save the Children’s new breastfeeding report, Superfood for Babies: How Overcoming Barriers Will Save…
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Save the Children Releases Important New Breastfeeding Report
Save the Children released a brand-new breastfeeding report, Superfood for Babies, that says 830,000 babies’ lives can be saved worldwide if they are breastfed within the critical first hour after birth. In the first hour after birth babies benefit from drinking colostrum, the most effective and potent natural immune system boosting substance on the planet.…
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Save the Children Releases Report on Post-2015 Framework for Ending Poverty
As we all know the Millennium Development Goals are set to expire in 2015. While much progress has been made globally over the past twenty years to eradicate poverty and to meet each of the individual goals there is still much to do. With the MDGs on their way out, Save the Children has devised a…
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Vote to Honor US Health Workers
Save the Children along with Frontline Health Workers Coalition has created the REAL Awards where deserving United States-based health workers will be honored for the sacrifice and commitment they exhibit through their work. The nominations are in and the voting period has started. In fact, voting ends on January 7, 2013. The Real Awards will…
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The Importance of Clean Cookstoves – A Personal Experience
When I was in Ethiopia last week observing frontline health workers with Save the Children I had the unfortunate circumstance of going into a home, a traditional hut, where the mother was cooking on her indoor cookstove. The smoke from the burning wood was so thick and powerful I could hardly breathe and couldn’t imagine a…
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An Optimistic View of Breastfeeding in Ethiopia
Throughout my travels to health facilities in Ethiopia last week with Save the Children I was heartened to see so many positive messages about breastfeeding on posters and printed materials for mothers to take home. I also saw several mothers breastfeeding their babies everywhere we went. In Ethiopia 52% of babies are put to the…
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Mothers in Ethiopia and Newborn Care
No matter where you are babies draw a crowd. It is no different in Ethiopia when we saw babies with their mothers at health posts and centers. One baby (seen below) wore a handmade bracelet her mother told us keeps away hiccups. Despite the mother’s use of cultural practices she still brought her baby into…
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Ethiopia’s Health Care Model, Workers
Ethiopia has its health care flaws and challenges, but what it seems to have captured is an appreciation for simplicity. Ethiopia’s health care system is very easy to understand, even though implementation and results are not easily achievable. This week I am in Ethiopia with Save the Children and its new campaign Every Beat Matters…
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Bishoftu Hospital’s Maternity Ward
In Ethiopia 90% of all expectant mothers deliver their babies at home, but there are some who are referred by frontline health workers with a recommendation to deliver at a hospital. At Bishoftu hospital, a zone hospital that is located about an hour south of Addis Ababa on the sole road towards Djibouti , 200…
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Family Planning in Ethiopia
This week I am a guest of Save the Children on an observational trip in Ethiopia. I, along with three distinguished US nurses, are here to learn about Ethiopia’s frontline health workers, the 38,000 women strong health extension workers. The health extension workers were put into place by the Ethiopian government in 2003 and now…
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Do You Know an Amazing Health Worker?
Health workers are typically the unsung heroes around the world. They help women deliver their babies in health facilities, they treat babies who are too weak to thrive and even care for wounded civilians during time of war. Health workers assess our problems and patch us up the best they know how. And in developing…
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Download New Song “Feel Again”, Support Child Health
Seven million children worldwide die before their 5th birthday each year. These early deaths are caused largely by preventable diseases like malaria, pneumonia and diarrhea and neonatal complications. This September Save the Children, the leading, independent organization that creates lasting change for children in need in the United States and 120 countries around the world, and…
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A Woman’s Right to Basic Family Planning and Why It is Important
There is a worldwide problem facing women: the lack of access to and education about family planning. What makes this issue so compelling and absolutely important to me as a mother is access to contraceptives in developing countries will save the lives of mothers and babies. Period. I cannot imagine not being able to choose…