Maternal mortality in Chad is very high. It is estimated that one in 16 women dies during pregnancy or childbirth. This is particularly true in remote and rural areas, where many women have no access to medical facilities.

Long distances to the nearest health centers, poor road conditions (especially in the rainy season), and a lack of financial resources to organize rapid transport are some of the reasons why two out of three women in Chad give birth at home rather than at a health center. As a result, pregnancies and births are associated with great risks. In our project area, in eastern Chad, for example, there is currently a single ambulance vehicle which is in use for over 110,000 people and often does not work.

Approach

Women's Hope, together with its partner organization BASE, is committed to strengthening mother-child health care on the ground. This is done on the basis of a participatory approach which focuses on the needs of the local village communities and involves them in the implementation.

Since the lack of transportation was identified as a problem by all local communities, the decision was made to purchase so-called "Barbaras". Barbaras are motorcycles to which flatbeds are attached. This allows pregnant women to be transported easily, quickly and inexpensively - even during the rainy season.

The goal is to purchase six such "Barbaras" or motoambulances. The operation is to be ensured in the long term with the help of village funds into which all members of the community pay small contributions - similar to an insurance policy. However, external support is needed to purchase the motoambulances.

bild1_barbara.jpg

This is what a "Barbara" looks like.

Help make births safer in Chad!

With a donation - no matter how small - you help to purchase six "Barbaras" and thus save the lives of hundreds of women and babies.
Thank you very much for your solidarity.

Facts about Chad

Capital: N'Djaména
Residents: 14,9 mio.
Life expectancy at birth: 53 years
Doctors: 4,4 per 100'000 persons
Child mortality:
73,4 pro 1'000 live births
Maternal mortality:
856 per 100'000 live births
(cf. CH: 5 per 100'000 live births)

Sources: The World Bank Data; Global Health Workforce Alliance (WHO)

Road conditions in the east of Chad

Programme manager

Muriel Weyermann

Muriel Weyermann
+41 (0)31 991 55 56

Project factsheet:

fs_tschad_-_motoambulanzen_ouaddai.pdf

Learn how we are working with our partners to improve health care for girls and women.

Mutter im Tschad