There is no question that every mother deserves access to quality healthcare and support, ensuring a safe and nurturing environment for both her and her baby.

In some remote areas of the African continent, the life of a newborn child hangs by a very thin thread.

According to the World Health Organization, the first 28 days of life are the most delicate, the ones in which newborns are at the highest risk of losing their lives.

In sub-Saharan Africa, over a million children do not survive their first month of life each year.

73 out of 1,000 live births die before reaching 5 years of age, a rate 15 times higher than that of high-income countries.

Approximately 20% of these deaths occur within the first 28 days.

But these challenges can be overcome with your support. In fact, many of the leading causes of child and infant mortality can be prevented or treated.

(Photo credit: Amref Health Africa / David Brazier)

Miriam Namusoke, an Amref Health Worker in Malawi, shares the following:

I see women arriving here in desperate conditions every day, after days of labor. We are forced to perform emergency interventions to try to save their lives and those of their babies. The newborns, the ones who manage to survive, are sometimes so weak that they can’t breathe or move. Most are born prematurely, so small that you can almost hold them in one hand. They have just come into the world, and they already have to fight to cling to life. But they are not alone; my colleagues and I are by their side in the challenging endeavour to overcome the first 28 days, the most dangerous for a newborn.

Thanks to your support, we have:

  • Provided specialized training to healthcare workers and midwives who can assist mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, and after the birth of their babies
  • Renovated hospital centers and supplied them with medicines and therapeutic milk to assist the most vulnera­ble newborns in their early days of life
  • Ensured continuity of care through growth monitoring and nutritional support

But we can do more. With your support, we can make a difference and help ensure more care is provided to mothers and babies during pregnancy, childbirth, and into the neonatal period.

Your generous donations make a significant impact, providing essential resources and medical assistance to mothers and babies in need, allowing them to embrace the joys of parenthood with the care and dignity they deserve.

This holiday season, let’s come together to create a brighter and healthier future for mothers and babies in Africa. Donate today and be a part of the joyous gift of maternal and infant well-being.