Helping Babies Breath and Mothers Survive

The week after we all arrived here in Minembwe, two midwives, Sarah and Abby, came from the U.S. and Canada to do two trainings called “Helping Babies Breathe” and “Helping Mothers Survive – Bleeding After Birth.”

For two days, Sarah and Abby trained the three doctors from the local hospital, as well as the doctor who is a professor at the university.

The doctors were very engaged in the training.

The doctors then assisted Sarah and Abby in two different two-day trainings for the local medical community including nurses and staff from the hospital, midwives from local clinics, and university staff and nursing students.

All the participants were pre-tested prior to the training, then tested again at the end of the course. The improvement in the test scores revealed that there was a high level of comprehension of the material taught during the course.

All participants passed the final practical skills test, as well as the written test, and they showed dramatic improvement in all aspects of these lifesaving procedures. Sarah and Abby left two sets of training equipment, one for the hospital and one for the university; we are excited to be able help facilitate future trainings.

Miles and Emilee helped in facilitating the training, and they also participated and were certified in both trainings.

As is the norm here, Sarah and Abby were delayed leaving for three days due to their helicopter flight being canceled; we’ve come to view these delays as “opportunities.” Sarah, Abby, and Miles used this opportunity to visit the clinics in three villages, evaluating their resources (beyond minimal) and gaining an understanding of how they (Sarah and Abby), or others, could be of service to the local clinics in the future.

At the last clinic they visited, Sarah and Abby had the opportunity to help deliver a baby alongside one of midwives who had attended the training.

Over the past two years, we’ve become good friends with the hospital’s doctors. Whenever we have them over for a meal, they arrive early so we can play many rounds of Uno.