Problem

Women are dying in African villages, every day, from complications of childbirth. These tragic deaths are preventable, if women have access to skilled childbirth care and choose to use it. But tradition and poor quality health services mean that many women still give birth at home, even when delivery complications put their lives at risk.

The Gift

This gift will pay for a community organizer to work with a remote West African village for 3 months — building relationships with community leaders and providing information about women’s right to lifesaving maternity care. This FCI project teaches women to demand the services that can save their lives, and in the process it transforms families and empowers villages. But there are many villages, and organizers must return over and over again to make change happen. Your gift of $250 will help mobilize a village — and will make sure that women understand and act on their right to life-saving childbirth care.