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Organization	On Call Africa
Region	Zambia
Website	Website
Facebook	Facebook
Twitter	@Twitter
ProjectLeader	Ben Margetts

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Help us build a new Mothers' Shelter for expectant mothers at the Kanyanga Rural Health Post. Currently women walk up to 45km to arrive at a hot, dusty shelter, made of mud and poles with no facilities. Heavily pregnant women sleep on the hard ground and have only a grass enclosure for their toilet. These women walk a kilometre to fetch water from a muddy dam which is shared by cattle and other animals, and they carry the water in buckets on their head to use for bathing, drinking and cooking.

Challenge

Due to lack of access to health care facilities and limited transport options, the women in the Kanyanga area will walk up to 30km whilst heavily pregnant to get to the current shelter, ahead of their due date. This structure is dusty, hot and made of mud and wooden poles with a thatched roof with no facilities. For this reason, many women choose to give birth at home, where they are at greater risk of infection and mother or infant mortality.

Long-Term Impact

The new Mothers' Shelter at the Kanyanga Rural Health Post (RHP) will make a huge difference to the rates of infant and maternal mortality, as well as giving mothers a comfortable and dignified space to rest before giving birth. Having a new shelter with proper facilities will mean that making the long and tiresome journey to the Health Post is worthwhile as the women will have access to proper medical support and be able to prepare accordingly to give birth.