Hi, our names are Ellie, Lena, Liam, and Junyi Frenzel. We are raising funds to support breastfeeding in hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

We are doing this because we believe every baby deserves a healthy start. In some hospitals in Ethiopia, doctors and nurses don’t have enough equipment and supplies. In Abebech Gobena Maternal Child Health Hospital in Addis Ababa, while new mothers stay at the hospital after giving birth, there are no breast pumps for them to use.

Breast milk is very important, especially for premature or sick babies who can’t breastfeed on their own. It helps protect them from infections and gives them the nutrients they need to grow strong. In hospitals like Abbebech Gobena, mothers do not have access to breast pumps, and their babies in the N.I.C.U (newborn intensive care unit) can not get the important nutrients from their mother’s milk. Formula is too expensive for many families and sometimes not available.

We are supporting mothers that want to feed their babies breast milk in the N.I.C.U. We want to buy breast pumps, supplies, chairs for mothers to sit and breast feed, a refrigerator, and other essential medical equipment. If you can donate even five or ten dollars, it could make a big difference in these babies' lives.

We are doing this in collaboration with the Brown University Alliance for Infant and Maternal Health, Abebech Gobena MCH Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Addis Continental Institute of Public Health, and hope to go to Ethiopia this summer to help with the project. Thank you for helping us make a difference and giving babies a healthier start in life!