The first 1,000 days of a child’s life determine their future. However, in fragile countries around the world, the lack of clean water, vital health education, nutritious food, and proper health care continues to have a detrimental impact on the lives of the most vulnerable – especially pregnant women and their babies.
Having a baby should be a blessing, not a death sentence, and every child deserves to live beyond its fifth birthday.
In Zambia, the chance of a child dying before reaching the age of 5 is one in 17 and in Niger, it’s one in 12. The leading causes of death in children under 5 are birth complications, pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria with malnutrition as a key underlying factor in almost half of those deaths – most of which are preventable and treatable.
Our mother and child health programming has a three-tiered approach:
1. Prevent illness and support mothers through childbirth.
2. Treat diseases such as diarrhea, pneumonia, and malaria.
3. Upgrade clinics with running water, sanitation, hygiene, staff training, and equipment.
4. Train Community Health Workers to educate women as well as men while supporting traditional birth attendants and midwives.
Our efforts are contributing to a global goal of eliminating preventable child deaths. Will you join us?