Volunteering in Cambodia as a midwife

My name is Virginia Valli, a midwife from Italy and I will be leaving for Cambodia to volunteer with an NGO, Women's Health Cambodia (WHC). I have been invited to work with a health centre in Prey Vehear Villagewhere I will be attending to up to 40 births per month, prenatal and postatal check up. This village has no running water, no electricity, very few medical facilities and transport to the nearest hospital is difficult.

Part of my role in going to this village will also be sharing my knowledge with the local midwives and pregnant women, equipping them with broader understanding of delivery, pre and post natal care. The project care about villages and the local people's right to live how they choose; is respectful of their needs and wants, and don't impose any religious beliefs, western standards or expectations that are not asked for. Im going there to develop skills, enhance lives and improve health

Maternal and infant mortality
1 in 8 babies will die before they reach their fifth birthday "“ most of these deaths could be prevented with better nutrition, immunization and sanitation.
45 babies in every 1000 live births die in pregnancy or childbirth. Babies whose mothers receive some form of antenatal care during pregnancy are twice as likely to survive than those who receive no care at all.

I am passionate about facilitating gentle and where possible joyful deliveries of babies. Creating a caring environment for the mother and a peaceful welcome into the world for the child.

I am leaving on the 30th September and need to raise further funds to contribute to the work, the travel costs, food and accommodation and my eventual return home in several months.

More details about me, about Women's Health Cambodia and what your donation will do Cambodian be seen below.

Thank you!

Virginia

$US200 + $US50 per week for food and accommodation to volunteer (I'm planing to stay at least 4 months)

$1000 travel cost

$700 travel health insurance

$50 can provide a new clean composting toilet for a village, reducing the rates of infection and diseases like dysentery. Increasing the quality of sanitation in a village will improve the lives of dozens of women and their families.
$2 buys at least 7 pairs of children's underwear
$5 buys drinking water for a week
$10 buys up to 30 pairs of school shorts (enough for a whole class)
$15 provides guttering to capture rain water
$20 fills the ambulance with fuel to get to the city
$30 buys sterilised equipment for the healthcentres
$50 pays for a mother to have an emergency Caesarean section
$100 can buy better medical supplies or 30 chickens to lay eggs for the school children

ABOUT ME
I graduated in April 2009, at the University of Milan. After three years of school and training, I chose not to work in the hospital and I immediately started to work as an indipendent midwife. I am a traditional midwife, my work is very close to that of our "ancestors" Midwives.

I choose to enter the homes of women, and I do it on tip-toe! For me it is a privilege and an honour.

I've been Travelling in Asia this year, I had the pleasure to share my days and thoughts with midwives, doulas, women from all over the world. The atmosphere was special, welcoming, inspiring, full of love, thats why I've decided to leave again.

ABOUT WOMEN'S HEALTH CAMBODIA
Women's Health Cambodia (WHC) is an NGO working in regional Cambodia with health centres and villages. Working with the Cambodian Department of Health, Women's Health Cambodia equips and staffs a network of regional health centres in and around Takeo, a town south of Phnom Penh.
Registered as a charity in 2011, Women's Health Cambodia is run by a team of local Cambodian midwives, providing prenatal care, general health services, midwifery birthing care as well as post natal care.

Cambodian women and children
Health issues and life expectancy
Sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancy, mental illness and injury after assault are some of the health problems faced by this group. Right now the average life expectancy for a Cambodian male is around 47 years of age, while a woman's average life expectancy is 45 years of age.
Maternal and infant mortality
1 in 8 babies will die before they reach their fifth birthday "“ most of these deaths could be prevented with better nutrition, immunisation and sanitation.
45 babies in every 1000 live births die in pregnancy or childbirth. Babies whose mothers receive some form of antenatal care during pregnancy are twice as likely to survive than those who receive no care at all.
Globally there are 430 maternal deaths in every 100,000 live births. In Cambodia 437 women die in every 100,000 live births.
The majority of maternity related deaths are preventable when trained antenatal, birth and postnatal care is available.
Abortions
As women are unable to say no to their husbands regarding sex, and almost nobody wears a condom, unwanted pregnancies are too common. Sadly, this contributes to up to 25% of all maternal deaths.
Prenatal care
Only 45% of Cambodian women receive any health care during pregnancy. And just 2 in 5 of these women have access to trained health care providers (nurses, qualified midwives or doctors). For the rest, untrained traditional midwifery or no care at all is the norm.

Aims
Reduce the rates of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity
Address gender issues within communities
Maintain sustainability of our projects
Support the community in their own goals
Enhance the lives of villagers under their own direction

Projects
Training for midwives
Health care centres
Tuk tuk transport
Toilets
Clean water
Fresh food
Sanitary pads
Shelters
Schools and orphanage
Employment
Alcoholism and domestic violence program