World Connect

Rwimitereri Maternity Ward Expansion - Phase 2

Year: 2016

Country: Rwanda

Project Status: Funded

Impact Sector: Health

Project Investment: $5,000.00

Project Launch: 2-21-17

For years, the Rwimitereri Health Center staff has been seeking to expand and add a maternity space, to provide better services and care for mothers and expectant mothers in the community. Working with World Connect, they completed Phase 1 of the project in 2016, which focused on construction of the building, including rooms for pre-delivery and preparation, delivery, and post-partum, and a shared bathroom. The project's success and potential was recognized, and the Rwimitereri community was awarded one of two 2016 Charlotte Daniel Fund "Champions of Change" awards by World Connect, to complete Phase 2 of the project, including completing the interior of the space and getting it fully ready for patients. Phase 2 also includes expanding and formalizing the work of Community Health Workers to focus on household education for pregnant women and mothers in nutrition, water use, hygiene, preventing malaria, early child care, etc.

Final Report: 6-7-17

Because of the award, the maternity ward has been completely finished and is the only building in the village with running water. The community is so excited and an opening ceremony will take place at the end of the month. In the next few weeks, the health center is printing copies of the First 1000 Days manual to keep in the new maternity ward and pre-natal room. The staff will teach each lesson in morning meetings to get reacquainted with the information. They are working on holding a larger training for the Community Health workers, but are still looking for resources.