Saving Lives Through Maternity Care

In rural Bainet, Haiti, giving birth is one of the riskiest things you can do. Maternal mortality is over 680 deaths per 100,000 births (compared to 6 in the U.S.) Woman suffering from complications in labor are carried by hand, on stretchers, to the nearest facility which is easily 40 miles away. Most women do not survive the journey.

Hope for Haiti Foundation has been working to improve maternity care in rural Haiti by providing pre- and post- natal care at our primary care facilities, training community health workers to educate women on the importance of visiting the clinic, and providing trainings for traditional birth attendants who assist in home births. While each of these factors improves care, the most significant difference can be made through a midwife, someone trained in delivering babies and recognizing signs and symptoms of complications such as pre-eclampsia or hemorrhage.

Hope for Haiti Foundation has partnered with Midwives for Haiti, a non-profit that trains certified Haitian midwives. This month, two recent graduates from Midwives for Haiti, Judith and Myriam, were able to visit Zorange for a three day period.

Judith and Myriam had the opportunity to share information with the matrones (traditional birth attendants) and our medical team alongside Laura Webb and Kim Bowers from the U.S. They spent part of their day seeing patients at the HFHF clinic.  They met with HFHF’s medical staff in Haiti. They told our staff how they are in this profession to save lives. Judith and Myriam were impressed with our team and the community and the warm reception they received.

Hope for Haiti Foundation hopes to hire these wonderful women to save many lives throughout Zorange and Bainet. To do so, we need $1,000 per month. (Each midwife receives a salary of $6,000 per year). If you are interested in helping support our midwives, please donate online at or contact Kim Sniffen ksniffen@hopeforhaitifoundation.com

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