Because of you, many women in South Sudan will be celebrating a very Happy Mother’s Day!
Sunday, May 10 is Mother’s Day here in the United States. In South Sudan, it is celebrated on the first Monday in July. Mother’s Day is a relatively new but very significant observance in South Sudan, serving as a day to honor the sacrifices and resilience of mothers who are considered the "bedrock" of the family. But motherhood is also very dangerous in South Sudan.
Did you know South Sudan also has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world?
According to the World Population Review, at 1,223 maternal deathsfor every 100,000 births. That means that more women lose their lives here because of complications related to childbearing than anywhere else on the planet. For newborns, the risk is equally severe, with 40 deaths per 1,000 live births and a stillbirth rate of 26 per 1,000. For a disproportionate many, this Mother’s Day in South Sudan evokes more emotions of loss and grief than of joy and celebration... but why?
One of the key reasons for these poor statistics is the limited access to skilled medical care. Here in the USA, we have 1 doctor for every 416 residents and an abundance of medical facilities that are relatively easy to access. In South Sudan, there is only 1 doctor for every 65,574 residents and medical facilities are sparce and often poorly equipped. Prior to the opening of the Achiek Clinic in Lietnhom, pregnant women in the region had the choice of walking over 100 miles to the nearest medical facility to give birth, or they took their chances giving birth at home. Even a simple complication can be a death sentence.
However, because of your generous donations, we were able to open the Achiek Clinic in November 2022 in the heart of an underserved region. This facility in Lietnhom is a beacon of light for the whole community but especially for expectant mothers who are now receiving obstetric and newborn care. The introduction of “skilled delivery” has taken away the fear of giving birth and we celebrate that since our inception, not a single mother who has delivered at our clinic has lost her life!
This has been a great first step, but more needs to be done. Currently, births are taking place and newborns and moms are resting and recovering across the hallway from sick patients, some with infectious diseases. Newborns are developing fevers and mothers are getting sick because they are in the same building as the rest of the patients who have come to the clinic because of illness and disease.
A separate maternity ward is desperately needed to keep newborns away from sick patients. The maternity ward we would like to build will also be equipped with a very simple surgical theater that would allow us to properly address complicated birth procedures such as Caesarians which are currently beyond our facility’s capabilities. By U. S. standards, the cost to build this new facility is very low at $85,000.
Would you prayerfully consider making a gift so we can build the maternity ward?
We have a friend who has contributed a $42,500 matching gift toward this effort, so any gift you can give, large or small, will be doubled! In celebration of Mother’s Day, would you prayerfully consider helping mothers and newborns in South Sudan? You can visit transformsouthsudan.org/maternity to contribute a gift for the maternity ward that is so urgently needed.
What a blessing it is to acknowledge and celebrate those in our lives who have sacrificed so much on our behalf. Worldwide.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
(Matt 25:35-40)
For His Glory and For a Better Tomorrow for South Sudan
Mike Vogt
Chairman of the Board | Transform South Sudan