EthiopiaEthiopia

Helping moms & babies in Ethiopia

You are changing the lives of moms and babies. Here’s how.

Mom's & BabiesMom's & Babies
Helping moms & babies in Ethiopia
Back to All Reports

The Need

Of the 5.2 million children who die around the world each year, 75 per cent die in the first year of life. Babies are at risk of death due to premature birth complications, complications during childbirth, infections, pneumonia and diarrhea. But this is preventable. With training and support, moms in poverty can be empowered to raise healthy and happy babies.

Our Response

Critical care
Your support helps secure access to pre- and postnatal care, skilled birth attendants and medical intervention when necessary.

Home-based care
Mothers are visited in their homes monthly by a Survival specialist, who offers education in prenatal care and early child-rearing as well as one-on-one biblical mentoring.

Group-based learning
At these church-based activities, moms learn skills to earn an income and gain vital knowledge including basic literacy, the importance of breastfeeding and how to prevent malnutrition and disease. These groups combat isolation through a supportive community of mothers who, together, learn about the God who loves them.

Ethiopia Stats

Average number of children in household 5
Average age of first-time mothers 19
Births attended by skilled health personnel 50
Stunted growth from malnutrition 35

Activities

Provisions: Staff provided moms with provisions to help meet their daily needs. Food packs were distributed each month, allowing caregivers to cook and prepare a variety of nutritious meals for their children. Families received hygiene kits containing toiletries and items such as soaps, hair oil and diapers, encouraging caregivers to practise good hygiene habits at home. Babies were given clothing, so they could stay warm and clean. Caregivers at the Nekemte Survival Program also received blankets for their homes.

Spiritual nurture: Staff helped nurture caregivers’ spiritual well-being through regular Bible studies, messages of encouragement and meaningful group activities. During both group activities and home visits, staff prayed with families, taught about the importance of faith development and encouraged them to have hope in God. Moms prayed together during group meetings, building up their faith.

Activities: Caregivers enjoyed participating in group activities and fun events. At the Amhara Survival Program, mothers who had never been to school had the opportunity to attend adult literacy classes, learning to read and write. In the Woliso Survival Program, Survival families celebrated the first birthdays of three program participants with delicious food, cake and presents. Mothers from the Nekemte Survival Program attended skills training workshops, where they learned income-generating skills to help support their families.

Physical health: Moms and babies received regular medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Cases of malnutrition were treated by medical staff. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, were supported throughout labour and delivery and received post-partum care from doctors and program staff.

Group meetings: Moms gathered at the centres each month to learn lessons on topics such as health and hygiene, early child development, nutrition, healthy parenting practices and disease prevention. Caregivers were grateful for the opportunity to put into practise what they learned from the program.

Home visits: Each month, program staff visited moms and babies in their homes to assess their living conditions, ensure they had implemented what they’d learned and to offer personalized support. Staff prayed with moms, delivered targeted lessons relevant to each family’s situation and offered counselling on good parenting.

Project Stats

This intervention addressed:

Full-term births 23
Pregnancies 9
Breastfeeding Moms 24
Malnourished Babies - Severely Underweight 33
Attended births 16
Malnourished Babies - Moderately Underweight 40
Normal birth weights 22
Low birth weights 1
Provisions: Staff provided moms with provisions to help meet their daily needs. Food packs were distributed each month, allowing caregivers to cook and prepare a variety of nutritious meals for their children. Families received hygiene kits containing toiletries and items such as soaps, hair oil and diapers, encouraging caregivers to practise good hygiene habits at home. Babies were given clothing, so they could stay warm and clean. Caregivers at the Nekemte Survival Program also received blankets for their homes.
Provisions: Staff provided moms with provisions to help meet their daily needs. Food packs were distributed each month, allowing caregivers to cook and prepare a variety of nutritious meals for their children. Families received hygiene kits containing toiletries and items such as soaps, hair oil and diapers, encouraging caregivers to practise good hygiene habits at home. Babies were given clothing, so they could stay warm and clean. Caregivers at the Nekemte Survival Program also received blankets for their homes.
Provisions: Staff provided moms with provisions to help meet their daily needs. Food packs were distributed each month, allowing caregivers to cook and prepare a variety of nutritious meals for their children. Families received hygiene kits containing toiletries and items such as soaps, hair oil and diapers, encouraging caregivers to practise good hygiene habits at home. Babies were given clothing, so they could stay warm and clean. Caregivers at the Nekemte Survival Program also received blankets for their homes.
Provisions: Staff provided moms with provisions to help meet their daily needs. Food packs were distributed each month, allowing caregivers to cook and prepare a variety of nutritious meals for their children. Families received hygiene kits containing toiletries and items such as soaps, hair oil and diapers, encouraging caregivers to practise good hygiene habits at home. Babies were given clothing, so they could stay warm and clean. Caregivers at the Nekemte Survival Program also received blankets for their homes.
Provisions: Staff provided moms with provisions to help meet their daily needs. Food packs were distributed each month, allowing caregivers to cook and prepare a variety of nutritious meals for their children. Families received hygiene kits containing toiletries and items such as soaps, hair oil and diapers, encouraging caregivers to practise good hygiene habits at home. Babies were given clothing, so they could stay warm and clean. Caregivers at the Nekemte Survival Program also received blankets for their homes.
Provisions: Staff provided moms with provisions to help meet their daily needs. Food packs were distributed each month, allowing caregivers to cook and prepare a variety of nutritious meals for their children. Families received hygiene kits containing toiletries and items such as soaps, hair oil and diapers, encouraging caregivers to practise good hygiene habits at home. Babies were given clothing, so they could stay warm and clean. Caregivers at the Nekemte Survival Program also received blankets for their homes.
Provisions: Staff provided moms with provisions to help meet their daily needs. Food packs were distributed each month, allowing caregivers to cook and prepare a variety of nutritious meals for their children. Families received hygiene kits containing toiletries and items such as soaps, hair oil and diapers, encouraging caregivers to practise good hygiene habits at home. Babies were given clothing, so they could stay warm and clean. Caregivers at the Nekemte Survival Program also received blankets for their homes.
Provisions: Staff provided moms with provisions to help meet their daily needs. Food packs were distributed each month, allowing caregivers to cook and prepare a variety of nutritious meals for their children. Families received hygiene kits containing toiletries and items such as soaps, hair oil and diapers, encouraging caregivers to practise good hygiene habits at home. Babies were given clothing, so they could stay warm and clean. Caregivers at the Nekemte Survival Program also received blankets for their homes.
Provisions: Staff provided moms with provisions to help meet their daily needs. Food packs were distributed each month, allowing caregivers to cook and prepare a variety of nutritious meals for their children. Families received hygiene kits containing toiletries and items such as soaps, hair oil and diapers, encouraging caregivers to practise good hygiene habits at home. Babies were given clothing, so they could stay warm and clean. Caregivers at the Nekemte Survival Program also received blankets for their homes.
Provisions: Staff provided moms with provisions to help meet their daily needs. Food packs were distributed each month, allowing caregivers to cook and prepare a variety of nutritious meals for their children. Families received hygiene kits containing toiletries and items such as soaps, hair oil and diapers, encouraging caregivers to practise good hygiene habits at home. Babies were given clothing, so they could stay warm and clean. Caregivers at the Nekemte Survival Program also received blankets for their homes.
Provisions: Staff provided moms with provisions to help meet their daily needs. Food packs were distributed each month, allowing caregivers to cook and prepare a variety of nutritious meals for their children. Families received hygiene kits containing toiletries and items such as soaps, hair oil and diapers, encouraging caregivers to practise good hygiene habits at home. Babies were given clothing, so they could stay warm and clean. Caregivers at the Nekemte Survival Program also received blankets for their homes.
Provisions: Staff provided moms with provisions to help meet their daily needs. Food packs were distributed each month, allowing caregivers to cook and prepare a variety of nutritious meals for their children. Families received hygiene kits containing toiletries and items such as soaps, hair oil and diapers, encouraging caregivers to practise good hygiene habits at home. Babies were given clothing, so they could stay warm and clean. Caregivers at the Nekemte Survival Program also received blankets for their homes.
Provisions: Staff provided moms with provisions to help meet their daily needs. Food packs were distributed each month, allowing caregivers to cook and prepare a variety of nutritious meals for their children. Families received hygiene kits containing toiletries and items such as soaps, hair oil and diapers, encouraging caregivers to practise good hygiene habits at home. Babies were given clothing, so they could stay warm and clean. Caregivers at the Nekemte Survival Program also received blankets for their homes.
Provisions: Staff provided moms with provisions to help meet their daily needs. Food packs were distributed each month, allowing caregivers to cook and prepare a variety of nutritious meals for their children. Families received hygiene kits containing toiletries and items such as soaps, hair oil and diapers, encouraging caregivers to practise good hygiene habits at home. Babies were given clothing, so they could stay warm and clean. Caregivers at the Nekemte Survival Program also received blankets for their homes.
Spiritual nurture: Staff helped nurture caregivers’ spiritual well-being through regular Bible studies, messages of encouragement and meaningful group activities. During both group activities and home visits, staff prayed with families, taught about the importance of faith development and encouraged them to have hope in God. Moms prayed together during group meetings, building up their faith.
Spiritual nurture: Staff helped nurture caregivers’ spiritual well-being through regular Bible studies, messages of encouragement and meaningful group activities. During both group activities and home visits, staff prayed with families, taught about the importance of faith development and encouraged them to have hope in God. Moms prayed together during group meetings, building up their faith.
Spiritual nurture: Staff helped nurture caregivers’ spiritual well-being through regular Bible studies, messages of encouragement and meaningful group activities. During both group activities and home visits, staff prayed with families, taught about the importance of faith development and encouraged them to have hope in God. Moms prayed together during group meetings, building up their faith.
Spiritual nurture: Staff helped nurture caregivers’ spiritual well-being through regular Bible studies, messages of encouragement and meaningful group activities. During both group activities and home visits, staff prayed with families, taught about the importance of faith development and encouraged them to have hope in God. Moms prayed together during group meetings, building up their faith.
Spiritual nurture: Staff helped nurture caregivers’ spiritual well-being through regular Bible studies, messages of encouragement and meaningful group activities. During both group activities and home visits, staff prayed with families, taught about the importance of faith development and encouraged them to have hope in God. Moms prayed together during group meetings, building up their faith.
Spiritual nurture: Staff helped nurture caregivers’ spiritual well-being through regular Bible studies, messages of encouragement and meaningful group activities. During both group activities and home visits, staff prayed with families, taught about the importance of faith development and encouraged them to have hope in God. Moms prayed together during group meetings, building up their faith.
Activities: Caregivers enjoyed participating in group activities and fun events. At the Amhara Survival Program, mothers who had never been to school had the opportunity to attend adult literacy classes, learning to read and write. In the Woliso Survival Program, Survival families celebrated the first birthdays of three program participants with delicious food, cake and presents. Mothers from the Nekemte Survival Program attended skills training workshops, where they learned income-generating skills to help support their families.
Activities: Caregivers enjoyed participating in group activities and fun events. At the Amhara Survival Program, mothers who had never been to school had the opportunity to attend adult literacy classes, learning to read and write. In the Woliso Survival Program, Survival families celebrated the first birthdays of three program participants with delicious food, cake and presents. Mothers from the Nekemte Survival Program attended skills training workshops, where they learned income-generating skills to help support their families.
Activities: Caregivers enjoyed participating in group activities and fun events. At the Amhara Survival Program, mothers who had never been to school had the opportunity to attend adult literacy classes, learning to read and write. In the Woliso Survival Program, Survival families celebrated the first birthdays of three program participants with delicious food, cake and presents. Mothers from the Nekemte Survival Program attended skills training workshops, where they learned income-generating skills to help support their families.
Activities: Caregivers enjoyed participating in group activities and fun events. At the Amhara Survival Program, mothers who had never been to school had the opportunity to attend adult literacy classes, learning to read and write. In the Woliso Survival Program, Survival families celebrated the first birthdays of three program participants with delicious food, cake and presents. Mothers from the Nekemte Survival Program attended skills training workshops, where they learned income-generating skills to help support their families.
Activities: Caregivers enjoyed participating in group activities and fun events. At the Amhara Survival Program, mothers who had never been to school had the opportunity to attend adult literacy classes, learning to read and write. In the Woliso Survival Program, Survival families celebrated the first birthdays of three program participants with delicious food, cake and presents. Mothers from the Nekemte Survival Program attended skills training workshops, where they learned income-generating skills to help support their families.
Activities: Caregivers enjoyed participating in group activities and fun events. At the Amhara Survival Program, mothers who had never been to school had the opportunity to attend adult literacy classes, learning to read and write. In the Woliso Survival Program, Survival families celebrated the first birthdays of three program participants with delicious food, cake and presents. Mothers from the Nekemte Survival Program attended skills training workshops, where they learned income-generating skills to help support their families.
Activities: Caregivers enjoyed participating in group activities and fun events. At the Amhara Survival Program, mothers who had never been to school had the opportunity to attend adult literacy classes, learning to read and write. In the Woliso Survival Program, Survival families celebrated the first birthdays of three program participants with delicious food, cake and presents. Mothers from the Nekemte Survival Program attended skills training workshops, where they learned income-generating skills to help support their families.
Activities: Caregivers enjoyed participating in group activities and fun events. At the Amhara Survival Program, mothers who had never been to school had the opportunity to attend adult literacy classes, learning to read and write. In the Woliso Survival Program, Survival families celebrated the first birthdays of three program participants with delicious food, cake and presents. Mothers from the Nekemte Survival Program attended skills training workshops, where they learned income-generating skills to help support their families.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Cases of malnutrition were treated by medical staff. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, were supported throughout labour and delivery and received post-partum care from doctors and program staff.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Cases of malnutrition were treated by medical staff. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, were supported throughout labour and delivery and received post-partum care from doctors and program staff.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Cases of malnutrition were treated by medical staff. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, were supported throughout labour and delivery and received post-partum care from doctors and program staff.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Cases of malnutrition were treated by medical staff. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, were supported throughout labour and delivery and received post-partum care from doctors and program staff.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Cases of malnutrition were treated by medical staff. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, were supported throughout labour and delivery and received post-partum care from doctors and program staff.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Cases of malnutrition were treated by medical staff. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, were supported throughout labour and delivery and received post-partum care from doctors and program staff.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Cases of malnutrition were treated by medical staff. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, were supported throughout labour and delivery and received post-partum care from doctors and program staff.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Cases of malnutrition were treated by medical staff. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, were supported throughout labour and delivery and received post-partum care from doctors and program staff.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Cases of malnutrition were treated by medical staff. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, were supported throughout labour and delivery and received post-partum care from doctors and program staff.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Cases of malnutrition were treated by medical staff. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, were supported throughout labour and delivery and received post-partum care from doctors and program staff.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Cases of malnutrition were treated by medical staff. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, were supported throughout labour and delivery and received post-partum care from doctors and program staff.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Cases of malnutrition were treated by medical staff. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, were supported throughout labour and delivery and received post-partum care from doctors and program staff.
Group meetings: Moms gathered at the centres each month to learn lessons on topics such as health and hygiene, early child development, nutrition, healthy parenting practices and disease prevention. Caregivers were grateful for the opportunity to put into practise what they learned from the program.
Group meetings: Moms gathered at the centres each month to learn lessons on topics such as health and hygiene, early child development, nutrition, healthy parenting practices and disease prevention. Caregivers were grateful for the opportunity to put into practise what they learned from the program.
Group meetings: Moms gathered at the centres each month to learn lessons on topics such as health and hygiene, early child development, nutrition, healthy parenting practices and disease prevention. Caregivers were grateful for the opportunity to put into practise what they learned from the program.
Group meetings: Moms gathered at the centres each month to learn lessons on topics such as health and hygiene, early child development, nutrition, healthy parenting practices and disease prevention. Caregivers were grateful for the opportunity to put into practise what they learned from the program.
Group meetings: Moms gathered at the centres each month to learn lessons on topics such as health and hygiene, early child development, nutrition, healthy parenting practices and disease prevention. Caregivers were grateful for the opportunity to put into practise what they learned from the program.
Group meetings: Moms gathered at the centres each month to learn lessons on topics such as health and hygiene, early child development, nutrition, healthy parenting practices and disease prevention. Caregivers were grateful for the opportunity to put into practise what they learned from the program.
Group meetings: Moms gathered at the centres each month to learn lessons on topics such as health and hygiene, early child development, nutrition, healthy parenting practices and disease prevention. Caregivers were grateful for the opportunity to put into practise what they learned from the program.
Group meetings: Moms gathered at the centres each month to learn lessons on topics such as health and hygiene, early child development, nutrition, healthy parenting practices and disease prevention. Caregivers were grateful for the opportunity to put into practise what they learned from the program.
Home visits: Each month, program staff visited moms and babies in their homes to assess their living conditions, ensure they had implemented what they’d learned and to offer personalized support. Staff prayed with moms, delivered targeted lessons relevant to each family’s situation and offered counselling on good parenting.
Home visits: Each month, program staff visited moms and babies in their homes to assess their living conditions, ensure they had implemented what they’d learned and to offer personalized support. Staff prayed with moms, delivered targeted lessons relevant to each family’s situation and offered counselling on good parenting.
Home visits: Each month, program staff visited moms and babies in their homes to assess their living conditions, ensure they had implemented what they’d learned and to offer personalized support. Staff prayed with moms, delivered targeted lessons relevant to each family’s situation and offered counselling on good parenting.
Home visits: Each month, program staff visited moms and babies in their homes to assess their living conditions, ensure they had implemented what they’d learned and to offer personalized support. Staff prayed with moms, delivered targeted lessons relevant to each family’s situation and offered counselling on good parenting.
Home visits: Each month, program staff visited moms and babies in their homes to assess their living conditions, ensure they had implemented what they’d learned and to offer personalized support. Staff prayed with moms, delivered targeted lessons relevant to each family’s situation and offered counselling on good parenting.
Home visits: Each month, program staff visited moms and babies in their homes to assess their living conditions, ensure they had implemented what they’d learned and to offer personalized support. Staff prayed with moms, delivered targeted lessons relevant to each family’s situation and offered counselling on good parenting.
Pastor Silga, ET0451

ReportA message from a pastor

May the Lord’s grace and peace be with you abundantly! Firstly, we would like to say, may the Sovereign God bless you! Thank you for your kind ministry of helping those in need according to the Lord’s heart and plans, as He is the owner of this ministry!

With the gift you have given to the Survival program, expectant mothers are embraced and supported in the program. Mothers who have given birth and with children until one year, as well as their infants, are supported with health assistance (medical care and follow-up), food packages and clothing (for mother and child), among others.

When we see all of this, we bless the Lord exceedingly. This program has renewed the hopes of mothers who felt completely hopeless. Many had given up their hopes of living, let alone giving birth, caring for and raising their children. Now they have been supported through birth as well as caring for and raising their children. Other young mothers who experienced violence and became pregnant at a very early age have also received psychological support and assistance with their various needs.

Our joy and thanksgiving are multifold; the Lord alone can do this. This program has also visibly impacted government and the community. It has earned a good name, and many people show gratitude for the program, the church and our partner organization.

We bless the Lord so much because the opportunity is created for us to be known by many through the gospel. May the Lord continue to give you wisdom, discernment and the spirit of diligence!

May the Lord’s grace be with you!

Pastor Silga, ET0451
Bachu, a mom in the Nekemte Survival Program

ReportA message from those your gift helped

I was born in the Horro Gudru area of Wellega, in the town of Shumbo Tuffaye. When I became of age, I got married. I was living with my husband, but we moved to a new area because of life burdens. We started engaging in daily labour for work and improving our lives. As we progressed to build stability for ourselves, a security issue occurred in the area, and we became displaced. I took my seven children with my husband and migrated to the city of Nekemte. We had to start our lives all over again from zero.

When we came here, we didn’t know anyone, and it made our problems more difficult. What made it extremely difficult was the large size of our family, the newness of the area and that we didn’t take anything with us when we left our home. As our Creator will never abandon His creation, God brought this amazing opportunity to our home when we didn’t know what to do or where to go. The opportunity to join the program came just as I was pleading with Him to take me first instead of seeing my children die of hunger.

The life I was leading before I joined the program was extremely bitter and hard. The difference after I joined this program is like the difference between heaven and earth. It is like comparing light with darkness. We not only worried about what we would eat, drink or get clothed with, we were questioning whether we would live or if it was our end.

Concerning my pregnancy, I already had decided to abort the baby when I had a dream. I saw a man I didn’t know then. Later, in reality, the man turned out to be the centre worker. In my dream, this man saw one bone fall from my chest and I walked away. He called my name saying I should pick up the child I abandoned. I was shocked and turned to find a baby instead of a bone. Still shocked, I picked up the baby. The man said to me again, “Why do you abandon him? This baby will be a blessing for you and your family. Through him, good things will happen in your house.” When I woke up, I was shocked and covered in sweat. After that, I changed my decision and started praying and repenting before God. While I was in that situation, I found the opportunity to enter the Survival program unexpectedly.

After coming to this program, I found things to be better than what I dreamt of. At first, I was comforted with God’s Word. Then, staff in the program pointed out to me that there was another opportunity for me in life. The program had been supplying me with provisions like food, soaps, diapers and cooking oils, which made me forget my worries as if they were dreams. God provided us with support that extended to my eight family members and my baby. Even though our baby was not planned, the Lord reversed our sadness and hopelessness and with support from the program, my baby is now the reason for my thankfulness. All my family now looks at my baby boy with caring eyes and loves him.

Before I joined the program, I didn’t believe that I would produce enough breastmilk because I did not get enough food. But now, because we receive food support every month and get fed at the centre as well as receive clothing and sanitation items regularly, my fear of disease and stunted growth is history. My baby boy is now growing like any child should. Blessed be the Lord!

I don’t have enough words to express my feelings, but may the Sovereign Lord God, who holds everything in His hands, bless you. May the God of heaven shelter and cover you and your seeds just as you have embraced me, sheltered and covered me without judgment because I was close to becoming the topic of people’s talk at the wrong age. May the Lord shine His face upon you for reaching out to me while I was hopeless, had closed the doors of my life and was waiting for death and shame. You let my light continue to shine.

May God bless you.

Bachu, a mom in the Nekemte Survival Program
Moreda

ReportA message from a partnership facilitator

Blessings in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. My name is Moreda, the Partnership Facilitator of ET0451. The church is one of the partners hosting a Survival program serving families in need in their communities. Because of your financial support and prayers, we have seen a tremendous impact from the program.

In the program, we have encouraged pregnant mothers, children and their mothers to actively engage in the program activities, striving to improve their spiritual and socio-economic lives, as well as giving families hope for the future.

The child development centre has been supporting participants’ maternal health care (antenatal and postnatal care), facilitating hospital deliveries, providing monthly growth monitoring and biweekly maternal health classes, where participants discuss various baby care and family issues. Mothers also hear the word of God every couple of weeks.

Survival mothers enjoy participating in centre activities as well as staff visits to their homes monthly. They are actively engaged when they visit the centre. Children also enjoy playing with a variety of toys and improve their motor skills during the activities based in the children’s room at the centre.

The community and church leadership, as well as church members, are very excited and are constantly thanking God and the donors and their support of the Survival program. The various activities in the program contribute significantly to the improvement of the socio-economic status of the community.

The biggest challenge for the participants in the Survival program is that more than 95 per cent of the caregivers are single mothers, who stretch their resources and make sacrifices to support their families. As a result, during their pregnancy and postpartum period, mothers are unable to engage in economic activities and provide their families with basic amenities like food, clothing and rent. However, despite the challenges, they are very thankful to God and enjoy the program.

On behalf of the partner church and Compassion, I deeply appreciate the sponsors for their continued passion, commitment and involvement in supporting the Survival program participants.

May God our Heavenly Father bless you and your family.

God bless you all,

Moreda