Hawassa Baby Box Project: A Safe Start for Newborns

Hi everyone,

For my research internship, I am doing a project on improving neonatal mortality at the Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. As part of my project I am doing a fundraising project for the Hawassa community.

In Hawassa, Ethiopia, too many babies don’t make it through their first month of life. The reasons are often preventable: infection, cold stress, unsafe sleep environments, and lack of basic newborn care.

But what if you could help change that?

Inspired by the Finnish tradition that helped Finland achieve one of the world’s lowest infant mortality rates, the Hawassa Baby Box is a care package for newborns. This initiative focuses on supporting mothers and babies in the critical first 28 days of life — when nearly half of under-5 deaths occur.

Each box doubles as a safe sleep space and contains essential items to support a healthy start:

Depending on the amount of money fundraised, I would like to also add a small toy to promote bonding and a wrap to promote kangaroo mother care.

I plan to start the Hawassa Baby Box project when I arrive in Hawassa next week, working with the local community, using local products and getting help from future students to keep the project running and sustainable.

Donate now to help babies in Hawassa thrive from day one!

Thank you so much for your generosity and support, it means a lot to me ◡̈