Maternal Research in Uganda

Greetings! Friends, family, church family, classmates, and stranger whom I've never met yet. My name is Adia Raichelle Louden, and I am a first year Master’s Student in the Department of Epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. I am also enrolled in the Certificate in Maternal/Child Health, with a special interest in sexual/reproductive health, and where I serve as one of the current Student Representatives for our cohort, Vice President of Communications of the Georgia Public Health Association, and Vice President of the Association of Black Public Health Students. I have just been granted an amazing opportunity to conduct research with “Safe Mothers, Safe Babies” for 10 weeks during the summer, in Uganda (East Africa). Through this experience, I will be able design and implement a mixed methods evaluation that will assess the quality of surgical care among women in the Iganga region. Furthermore, I will also be working on a second project, in which I will be assisting to help traditional birth attendants act as doulas and provide socio-cultural and emotional support to pregnant women in labor in the setting of a health facility.

 The total breakdown of costs are: $2100 (room, board, transportation, translation), $1400 (round-trip flight), $140 (immunizations), and $20 (malaria meds). Upon my completion of this research, I will be able to utilize this experience as my “practicum experience” for fulfillment of my graduation requirements.

 Any amount that you are able to contribute to make this experience a DREAM COME TRUE, would be greatly appreciated.