International Day Of The Girl | i=Change
Today is International Day of the Girl. This day recognises the unique challenges that face girls globally and the enormous potential for change girls possess. We have partnered with i=Change and Send Hope Not Flowers to celebrate day of the girl.
We have a story of change to share, along with a discount code (every purchase you make results in a donation to the charity of your choice).
Our fearless girl boss is a mother herself, so the feature story of this month is truly close to our hearts.
Since 2014 and with Send Hope funding, Living Child has been conducting regular training outreaches for Community Health workers at Angoram District Hospital and Village Birth Attendants in surrounding villages. Since September 2018, due to the advocacy of Living Child, a PNG midwife is now stationed at the hospital which has not provided services to women for over 10 years. She can now receive the referrals from the VBAs in the remote areas.
Earlier this year a 17-year-old pregnant adolescent arrived at Angoram maternity unit at 1am in the morning after being in labour for a week. She lived on an island just off the coast of the mouth of the Sepik River. When the baby was not born after 2 days of labour, her mother started the long journey to try and get her to the nearest Health Centre on the coast. The weather turned bad and their boat was swept down to where the Sepik River joins the ocean.
A VBA in a nearby village went to help the girl and her mother. She recognised that she needed more skilled help and so through her efforts she desperately tried to get the men in the village to donate some money for fuel to take the girl to Angoram to see Sr Tano.
Eventually some men helped them and after 7 days in labour the girl arrived at Angoram Hospital. She was semi-conscious, and her baby was dead. Sr Tano managed to get the deceased baby delivered, started life-saving intravenous fluids and medication and arranged for immediate transfer to the Wewak General Hospital. The girl sustained horrific internal injuries which have since been repaired in Port Moresby. She survived because of the life-saving actions of the VBA and midwife Linda Tano.
Living Child will continue to support and train these incredible birth attendants to keep saving lives.
Checkout this and more over at www.iequalchange.com
