In regions facing large-scale humanitarian crises, mothers still courageously fight to provide for their families and newborns. Help them this Mother’s Day.
Despite the technological advancements of today, two women die every minute due to pregnancy or childbirth. This means 800 women will die today; most of these deaths are preventable. For pregnant women and mothers living in conflict-ridden zones, it can be even more lethal. This Mother’s Day, we are shining a light on Sudan, which has the highest highest maternal mortality rate in the world.
Life as a mother in war
Last year, as violence worsened in Sudan, millions of people’s lives were devastated. Many fled to neighboring borders, including Chad. Hawaye, a Sudanese mother, shares her journey:
“The militia entered my house, they killed my husband and wounded my son. So I fled to Chad. I fled at 11 pm with my injured child, I carried him on my back.”
Most of the new arrivals are women and children. Raouda’s village had been destroyed and a scene of mass killings. She arrived at a refugee camp after being on the road for 15 days:
“When I left Sudan, my child wasn't old enough to walk on his own. I strapped him to my back despite my stomach. My stomach started to hurt, and I wondered if the child inside me would be able to come out healthy.”
The conflict has caused major obstacles for maternal health services, with hospital buildings and health centers destroyed, shortages of medication and supplies, and medical personnel and hospitals constantly targeted. Omer, an MSF medic, recounts:
“…a family came in who had been caught up in shelling. The mother died, a young daughter died, another daughter lost a leg, and a son was severely injured. Another family brought in three of their children, who had been shot: a nine-year-old shot in the back, a six-year-old shot in the right eye, and a four-year-old, who did not survive.”
This Mother’s Day set up a monthly donation to support leading humanitarian organizations in their fight to save mothers around the world. Your donation could make a difference in helping one more mother hold their baby.
