World Malaria Day -- Step Two: Clinic and Maternal Care Center
A mother brought her twins to the Grace Center a few weeks ago. Her breast milk supply was completely gone, dried up from weeks of mal-nutrition and trying to support two infants. Her body was barely able to produce enough for herself, much less her two babies. We provided formula, but the mother was unable to understand how to mix it properly. Because of our lack of space and programming, she was sent home with the formula and her two small babies. It breaks my heart that one of the babies died shortly after from starvation, malaria and anemia. This death was both treatable and preventable, but we did not have the facilities or the program in place to adequately address the baby's need, the mother's need or the situation.
The mother was then afraid to come back to the Grace Center. Having lost one child, she lived in fear of telling us that the child was gone which then put her second child at risk. Thankfully, our staff followed up with her in a home visit and was able to encourage her to come back with the second baby to continue receiving formula.
Step Two in our Fight Against Malaria is to take the final steps to opening our Clinic and Maternal Care Center. In order to do this, we need $25,000. This will complete the renovations to the inside of the clinic, purchase beds and supplies for housing mothers and babies while they are being taught to use the formula and to prevent disease in their homes. It will also enable us to build a kitchen where meals will be prepared for the mothers and for children in our Stop Anemia Program.
Learn more about the Maternal Care Center. See the Plans!
Please consider making your gift toward the Clinic and Maternal Care Center today!
Thank you!