ROKPA Times March 2017 - For strong girls and women

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WOMEN AND HEALTH: SOUTH AFRICA Hope for the fourth generation Kefilwe Maoto is 29 years old and HIV positive. She is heavily pregnant and lives with her two daughters in a dilapidated little hut in Groot Marico, South Africa. A dirty mattress serves as a bed for Kefilwe and her two daughters. Kefilwe's mother, Queen, and the grandmother Mitta live nearby. Alcoholism is a big problem in the family. No one in the family is employed. The two last partners of Kefilwe died of AIDS and her two daughters are malnourished and neglected. At <strong>ROKPA</strong> Tirisano Crèche (read more about the crèche on p.11), the girls receive food, care and are encouraged in their development. A renovation of their hut ensures that the family has a safe roof over their heads. Grandmother Mitta (left) tries to support her granddaughter Kefilwe (middle) and her daughter Queen. In this dilapidated hut Kefilwe lives with her two daughters. 20 Swiss francs as a starting aid for a baby In Cape Town, South Africa, a group of <strong>ROKPA</strong> Volunteers is dedicated to mothers in need. They support them with food and "Stork Bundles" in cooperation with the state-funded Mowbray Maternity Hospital. There are about 1000 births a month at the hospital. Many of the mothers are very young and without family. In many cases, they are victims of rape or incest. The young women reach the facility often after walking for hours, exhausted and hungry. On Wednesdays, the <strong>ROKPA</strong> Helpers of the "Circle of Nourishment" arrive at the hospital. These volunteers distribute fruit and nutritious sandwiches once a week. Also packages with children's clothing and toilet articles such as soap, bandages and diapers are given to women who have recently given birth. A "Stork Bundle" costs only 20 Swiss francs / 20 US Dollar. <strong>For</strong> the beneficiaries, it is not only the material aid that helps. In the early, physically demanding weeks, kind words and smiles at the hospital provide comfort for the soul. Or as the project's initiator, Jenny Canau, puts it: "We want to honor precious human life with our work and strengthen the bond between mother and child, for this is the social fabric that holds our society together." A sandwich to strengthen the new mother. 8
WOMEN AND HEALTH: TIBETAN AREAS OF CHINA Expecting mothers in the Tibetan Highlands are living in danger One of the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations was to reduce the maternal mortality rate by 75 percent in the period from 2000 to 2015. This target was not met. The annual number of deaths worldwide could only be reduced from around 550,000 to 300,000. In rural regions such as the Tibetan Highlands, the mortality risk for expecting mothers is still very high. The infrastructure is undeveloped in the vast regions far from the Chinese centers. Medical care is scarce; the density of doctors is very low. Hospital beds are scarce and often located in larger towns or cities. These are difficult to reach for the rural population and the nomads. A journey on gravel roads with an animal, tractor or car can take several days. The village clinics supported by <strong>ROKPA</strong> offer women an easy access point to health care. The clinics are physically close to the people. The costs are adjusted according to the financial abilities of the patients. The doctors are of Tibetan origin and can communicate with the expecting mothers. In contrast to doctors in the big clinics, they are also able to make house visits. In the case of an imminent birth, they either assist themselves or instruct midwives. Mortality risk is significantly reduced in a home birth when there is easy access to health care. 1 Source: Reprod Health Matters. 2014. "Reducing high maternal mortality rates in western China: a novel approach". Author manuscript. In Switzerland about 3 out of 100,000 mothers die at birth. In the Tibetan areas of China, on the other hand, the rate is nearly 50 women per 100,000 births. This means that Tibetan mothers are 15 times more likely to die during childbirth than Swiss mothers. Researchers have identified several different causes for this higher risk: the long journey to the hospitals and the high cost of care are two of the main reasons. Moreover, Tibetan women prefer to give birth in their homes due to linguistic and cultural barriers. In rural areas, however, there are not enough midwives to assist in these births. 1 <strong>ROKPA</strong> Doctor assisting with a home birth. 9
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ROKPA Times March 2017 - For strong girls and women

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