We believe that no woman should die during pregnancy or birth, and that materially poor women deserve access to quality maternal healthcare. We believe that maternal care is one of the most effective ways to reduce the number of children placed in orphanages in Haiti. Together, we can make pregnancy and childbirth safe for vulnerable Haitian women, and keep babies where they belong – in families, not orphanages.
Why Haiti?
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with two thirds of the population living on less than $2 per day. Giving birth in Haiti is highly dangerous for most women. The reality of severely inadequate maternal care and poor health infrastructure combined with crushing poverty has devastating results.
Haiti also has the highest incidence of maternal and infant mortality in the Western Hemisphere. Approximately 66% of Haitian women give birth at home without trained medical assistance, posing major risks for both women and infants.
ODW & Heartline Ministries
Our partner Heartline Ministries provides lifesaving and compassionate maternal care, education, and support to vulnerable Haitian women and girls. These women and girls lack access to care and are at a high risk of maternal mortality due to pregnancy and childbirth related complications.
Through a proven integrated approach that combines high frequency medical care, health education, nutrition, labor and delivery services, emotional and spiritual support, and extensive postpartum care, the Heartline Maternity Center care model effectively cares for women, empowering them to survive pregnancy and birth and thrive as mothers.
This project will enable 60 Haitian women and girls to receive lifesaving maternal care, education, and support for the 13 month program – throughout their pregnancies, deliveries, and for six months following birth.
Join Us!
Join us as we partner to provide lifesaving maternal care for Haitian women and girls who otherwise lack access to medical care. One Day’s Wages will match your gift to this campaign up to $14,672.50, for a total grant of $29,345.
Meet Murielle
Murielle is a 30 year old woman who came to the Heartline Maternity Center (MC) for prenatal midwifery care once she realized she was pregnant. The year before, Murielle had given birth to a baby at a hospital in Haiti. Her baby was visibly in need of medical attention the day after birth, but Murielle couldn’t find a doctor or nurse at the hospital to help and the baby tragically died.
Fueled by this grievous loss, Murielle was determined to get the best possible care and education during this pregnancy. She traveled two hours to and from weekly prenatal programs at the Heartline MC throughout pregnancy.
At 37 weeks of pregnancy, she was put on bedrest due to dangerously high blood pressure and stayed at the Heartline MC until she went into labor three weeks later. The staff cared for and monitored Murielle and her baby in utero during this three week period, knowing that Murielle was fearful of not being able to get there in time once labor started.
Healthy baby Andrew was born on March 25, 2017 weighing 8 pounds 10 ounces. Murielle hemorrhaged after birth and was quickly given the medications and care she needed. She soon returned to her loving family where her husband and four year old girl joyfully welcomed baby Andrew into the family.
Murielle shares, “I wish that all the women in Haiti knew when to go for medical help. People don’t understand how serious ectopic pregnancy is or how serious blood pressure issues in pregnancy can be. They wait and wait and don’t go for help. Maybe because the help is hard to find but still I think they don’t know when it is serious. I learned a lot about that here at Heartline. I also wish people knew to trust the caregiver and not just the words of family and neighbors. When I was here on bedrest I was afraid that I should be having the baby. You kept telling me, “we want to wait on the day that is right and today is not that day” and for 25 days I waited and then Andrew came on the right day and he was alive. I want other Haitian women to know how to protect their own lives with this wisdom.”
Extensive Postpartum Care
Labor and Delivery & Infant Medical Care
Personal Prenatal Care
Orphan Prevention & Family Preservation
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One Day’s Wages exists to alleviate extreme poverty by investing in, amplifying, and coming alongside locally led organizations in underserved communities.
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