Hello!

I am raising money for two of my midwife colleagues in Burundi to attend the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Triennial Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, from the 14th-18th June 2026. (https://www.midwives2026.org)

I met Augustin Harushimana in 2023, he is the president of a midwives association in Burundi called "Midwife in Action's Association- Vyara Uheke. " I later got to know Parfait Iradukunda, who is on the supervisory comitee for MAA, and I am his mentor through a leadership programme with the ICM.

Burundi is in East Africa and has one of the highest maternal mortality rates (MMR) worldwide (392 per 100,000 live births, for comparison, the UK MMR is 8 per 100,000 live births. (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.MMRT?locations=GB). Both Augustin and Parfait have witnessed the devastating impact of maternal death, which is too often a reality in Burundi, and they are highly motivated individuals who I am confident are and will make milestone impacts for maternal-child health in Burundi.

The ICM Congress is the world’s leading global platform where midwives exchange evidence-based practices, innovations, advocacy strategies, and policy solutions to improve maternal and newborn outcomes. It gathers experts, researchers, policymakers, and frontline midwives from every region of the world.

Augustin says:

“…Even with limited resources, we can shine globally—bringing back inspiration, new ideas, and energy to transform maternal and newborn care at home. As the president of MAA, my personal attendance at the ICM conference will give us visibility which will enable stakeholders to invest in our activities with confidence, knowing we have the skills, connections, to advocate for other midwives, women, and communities in Burundi…”

Parfait says:

“…Attending the ICM conference will enable me to further develop in midwifery leadership, through engaging in global dialogue on maternal and newborn health. The exposure of evidence-based practices and innovations will strengthen my ability to advocate for women, newborns, and midwives in Burundi. In addition, I will be able to expand my professional network beyond virtual connections. When I return to Burundi, I plan to transfer knowledge to local midwives through post-congress sharing sessions…”

Costs breakdown (Per -person):

• Return air-travel (including insurance): £1000

• Conference fees: £630

• Accommodation: £370 each

• Total: £2000

Thank you for contributing to these two wonderful midwives attending the ICM conference; know that you are investing in improving maternal-child health in Burundi, essentially saving women and newborn’s lives!

Ruth Sloman

(Volunteer practice development midwife in Burundi since 2020, honorary member of MAA)

Ps. For further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.