Birthing Kit Foundation (Australia)

The Birthing Kit Foundation (Australia) is an organisation dedicated to improving the conditions for women who give birth at home in developing countries such as Afghanistan, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Malawi, India, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Sudan, Uganda and Tibet.

"Every 90 seconds, a woman dies of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth"

With an estimated 385,000 women dying annually in childbirth, many from infections acquired during childbirth, there is a great need for our clean birthing kits.

Most women we assist for reasons of isolation, cultural choice or poor transport have little or no assistance during childbirth. Many mothers and babies die from preventable infections. By providing a clean birthing kit and training in how to use it, these mothers will have the resources to reduce infection.

The Foundation is a not-for-profit non-government organisation (NGO) that provides birthing kits and education in clean birthing practices. We have no religious or political affiliations. 

The birthing kit addresses the 7 cleans needed for a safe delivery - clean birth site, clean hands, clean ties, clean cut, clean eyes, clean umbilical and clean perineum.

The kits are basic with 6 items - a plastic sheet, soap, 2 gloves, sterile scalpel blade, 3 cords and 5 gauze squares.  These items are assembled into a small bag at an Assembly Day.

When our group read the statistic that "every 90 seconds, a woman dies of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth", we decided to donate some money for supplies for these very important kits.