Craft Hope – Project 11

Shockingly, one in eight Haitian children dies before the age of five, and their maternal mortality rate is 1,400 deaths for every 100,000 –a  reflection of the fact that the majority of the population lives in poverty/on less than a dollar a day. Only one in every 10,000 Haitians has access to a physician.

Source

Back in September, Ashley hosted a pad party that helped make a difference in the lives of hundreds of African women.  Well, we had about 50 hand-sewn bags left-over from then that needed another good purpose.

Leave to it Ashley, whose heart I really admire, to find another project that would benefit more ladies in yet another part of the world.  I just love when I get emails from her asking for help with another project.  She encourages and challenges me to live out my faith, and these projects are the perfect opportunity to do so.

Together with Craft Hope, we were asked to assemble safe birthing kits to benefit Konbit Sante (a health partnership in Haiti) and ultimately, women in Haiti.  The kits will help to reduce mortality rates of both mothers and babies.

Together, we gathered these supplies to put in each hand-sewn bag, inside of a gallon sized zip lock bag:

• 1 small bar of soap
• 1 piece of clean plastic sheeting (3 feet wide by 4 feet long)
• 1 piece of clean string, 24 inches long
• 1 packet alcohol wipe
• 1 set of sterile latex gloves
• 1 packet (or travel container) Purelle
• receiving blanket–36 inches square (some we bought, some we made)
• small “stuffy” toy

So simple for us, right?  Yet so life changing. These supplies can make the difference between life or death during and after the birthing process.  Again, something we take for granted in America.

Thank you Ashley, for taking the lead.

If you want to participate with Craft Hope – Project 11 – you have until March 1st. Click over to read more from Craft Hope.

The completed bags, ready to be shipped: