The Project 

The project aims at reducing mortality rates of mothers and babies in Nkhotakota District of Malawi through specific training measures for traditional practicing midwives (TBAs -Traditional Birth Attendance). This medical class will not only provide the TBAs with the know-how on pregnancy- and delivery-assistance but will also train them in the areas of family planning and HIV/AIDS. Malawi is the poorest country in Africa. The probability that a woman might pass away during delivery is 200-times higher than in a country like Germany. It is estimated that between 15 - 20% of the population are already infected by HIV. Many factors, like the lack of preliminary inquiries, malnutrition, as well as insufficient hygiene during birth pose a very big risk for mother and child. Many babies have been infected with HIV in their mothers’ wombs during pregnancy, despite the fact that preventive medications are available. It is regrettable that only 10% of the babies are privileged to receive the needed medications. 

The training of the TBAs will take place in the only delivery clinic of Malawi (St. Anne’s Hospital), located in Nkhotakota District, consisting of various courses each lasting for several weeks.

The first step will be to remove the prejudices between the TBAs and trained hospital personnel, so as to create a concrete basis for the facilitation of an exchange of experiences and transfer of knowledge between the two. The focus of this training will be on birth complications as well as its causes and treatments. Subsequent to this theoretical phase the TBAs will take part in other birth complication processes like Caesarean Operations in the hospital, to enable them to put their acquired knowledge into practice.

Apart from midwifery training, the TBAs will furthermore discuss issues on how to improve the living conditions of women and children. Many children die in Malawi due to the lack of medications and inefficient treatment of diseases such as Malaria, Diarrhoea and Asthma. The TBAs will therefore be trained to implement treatments of these illnesses with the project. The project will provide the appropriate medications to the TBAs.  The TBAs are then trained to provide medical treatment in other areas and therefore prevent unnecessary deaths. Furthermore, the TBAs will also receive an additional source of income for them and their families.  

Due to their good relationship to women in the rural areas of Malawi, the TBAs will be acting as mediaries for issues like family planning and the prevention of HIV/AIDS. These subjects are still taboo and are mostly attributed to myths, horror stories and Voodoo practices amongst the majority of the rural population. Because the local population trusts the TBAs, we believe that such topics will be openly discussed. We also hope that the prejudices and superstitious beliefs linked to these subjects will be reduced.