There is an old Haitian proverb that says, “deye mon gen mon,” which means “beyond mountains, more mountains.” While this is a beautiful way to describe the amazing mountain views in Haiti, this proverb has a much deeper meaning. It is a reminder of the reality of daily life for the Haitian people where “mountains” represent ongoing struggles. The people of Haiti often face one mountain after another, and this is especially true of being an expectant mother in Haiti.
Imagine being Wiselaine Innocent and finding out that you’re expecting your second child. You are excited, but fearful, because your rural village has no local access to prenatal care. The statistics are clear: the lifetime risk of maternal death is 1 out of every 83 women in Haiti – the highest rate of maternal mortality in the Western Hemisphere. The infant mortality rate is equally astonishing as 52 infants out of every 1,000 born will not survive. That is 10x higher than in the United States.
There are “mountains beyond mountains” for an expectant mother in Haiti:
- Limited accessibility to healthcare in rural areas… mountains…
- Inadequate number of trained medical professionals… mountains…
- Limited access to affordable prenatal vitamins… mountains…
- Inadequate or unsanitary equipment for safe deliveries…mountains…
- Lack of education on importance of prenatal care…mountains…
Mothers in Haiti are some of the strongest people on earth. They live with this reality and yet they persevere. Their strength and resilience is astonishing. But the statistics don’t lie. Expecting a child in Haiti where there is limited access to healthcare is a risk.
This Christmas season World Wide Village is kicking off a fundraiser for a new maternal health program in Williamson, Haiti: Healthy Mothers + Healthy Babies. This program will bring maternal care to women in an area of Haiti with very little access to healthcare. What a blessing this will be for mothers like Wiselaine. We all love Healthy Mothers + Healthy Babies!
Your donations this December will provide:
- Regular prenatal screenings for expectant mothers
- Free pregnancy tests
- Prenatal vitamins & counseling on proper diet and nutrition
- Sterile birthing kits for safe deliveries
- Salaries for a midwife to work in the program
You can be a part of bringing healthcare to mothers and babies in Haiti today.