Dadamac, Fantsuam Foundation and White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood September 25, 2010
John - I have just discovered the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood It is an international coalition of individuals and organizations formed to promote increased public awareness of the need to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for all women and newborns in the developing, as well as, developed countries.
I am aware of much (probably not all) of your work in this area. For instance on a theoretical and teaching level, I remember that one of the first two courses that you and Dick Heller worked on during the initial stages of people's-uni.org was on maternal mortality. On a completely practical level I know of the maternal care given in the unit you have set up.
Photos - Link to photos of the opening ceremony of Fantsum Health Clinic and the first delivery. More information on some of FF's
Open letter readers - This information will give you some idea of what the facilities are like, and also the way that John keeps handing over things that were originally his, for the benefit of the community. The maternal unit, where women can give birth, and the clinic are in the "huts with mod-cons" that John built for people who came to visit him - and very convenient they were too.
As a visitor I how much I appreciated having my own "en suite" accommodation on the main Fantsuam Foundation - FF - site, jus a minute or two's walk from the main house where we all ate - and where there was a permanent supply of filtered boiled water - fit to drink. (The FF site was originally John's home - but gradually FF work has taken over and everyone has had to move out to make room for the work of Fantsuam Foundation. Anyone who has ever has a "home office" that started on a corner of the dining table and then took over an entire room will have some idea of the way this can happen - but it was on a rather more extreme scale at John's place.)
The visitor's huts were luxurious by local standards, with plumbing and electricity installed. The electricity and water only worked "as intended" from time to time - on the rare occasions when NEPA provided grid electricity and when, as a result, sufficient water was pumped up to the water tower. To an urban wimp like me, more important than electricity or running water was the fact that the "bathroom furniture" was there. I was always well supplied with buckets of water, without ever having to ask, including a bucket of hot water, before breakfast, for my "bath". I am used to "bathing" in cold water in Nigeria - the first hot bucketful I was given at FF came as a very welcome surprise.
John's care of the women who are expecting babies is intensely practical. I know of times when a birth has been difficult and he has needed to drive a woman in labour to the nearest hospital, where he will do all in his power to help and support - including giving his own blood when a transfusion is needed.
John - I've copied some information from the The White Ribbon Alliance below (and higlighted bits) - I note that they do not have anyone in Nigeria yet. Maybe when you get new volunteers someone may be able to go through this information to see if it would be worth contacting these people. I have no idea if it is a win-win to join in , or if it would be an additional drain on your already over-stretched resources.
Open letter readers - is there anyone out there who would like to become a Dadamac Foundation volunteer and help John by checking out websites like these to see if they might be relevant for his work with Fantsuam Foundation? (I would help you to learn what you need to know.)
It mentions national alliances
(and I note that Nigeria is not included)
Pakistan • Rwanda • South Africa • Sweden • Tanzania • Uganda • Yemen • Zambia
Currently, the WRA has 15 National Alliances addressing the specific issues of safe motherhood in their respective countries. Click on the links above to learn more about their exciting work!
Purpose of National Alliances
The functions and structure of each National Alliance secretariat vary by country, but in general, secretariats provide a link to Alliance members throughout the country so they can collaborate, share resources and prevent duplication of programs and materials. The secretariats also serve as a central hub for the collection and dissemination of information, the organization and implementation of activities and events, and the encouragement of collaboration among partners. Member NGOs play a significant role in building the capacity of the secretariats, and allowing the movement from awareness to action at the community, district, and country levels, and developing sustainable country-driven campaigns.
Forming a National Alliance in Your Country
There are many ways to form a National Alliance. A good first step is to contact the WRA Global Secretariat and download Awareness, Mobilization and Action for Safe Motherhood: A Field Guide, which provides organizations with practical guidance on how they can be active and participate in the WRA.
A next step is to download Building, Maintaining, and Sustaining National White Ribbon Alliances: A Field Guide. This guide provides WRA secretariats, coordinating bodies, and individuals or groups with the tools and information necessary to effectively establish, manage, and sustain a National White Ribbon Alliance. The guide includes:
- a brief history of the WRA and recommended successful Alliance building approaches and tools;
- a discussion of select guiding principles and organizational models and practices;
- an explanation of how various approaches and tools can be used to maximize benefits and sustain efforts;
- a summary of lessons learned; a compilation of resources, including references of research materials, multi-country examples, and relevant planning and monitoring forms.
A final step is to contact the Global Secretariat for more information about becoming an officially affiliated National Alliance (info@whiteribbonalliance.org).
The principles of the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood are shared beliefs of members, which provide guidance about structure, processes and overall conduct to all who join the WRA:
1. Members have a voice and responsibility in developing and maintaining an accountable, effective, transparent and responsive, sustainable Alliance and to participate in decision-making.
2. Members may organize activities consistent with the mission, vision and principles of the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood.
3. Members are committed to enhancing local understanding of safe motherhood and building local capacity to advance the goals of safe motherhood at all levels.
4. Members are committed to sharing best and promising practices to advance the goal of safe motherhood.
5. The White Ribbon Alliance promotes the open exchange of information, collaboration, learning and ideas in ways that are appropriate in the local, national and international context.
6. The White Ribbon Alliance actively seeks the participation and/or partnership with women, men, their families and communities, professionals and practitioners from diverse fields, members of civil society, the private sector, UN agencies, bilaterals, all sectors of government and donors.
7. The White Ribbon Alliance values, aspires and works to recognize each member’s voluntary contribution to the goals of safe motherhood and connects local action with the larger vision.
8. The White Ribbon Alliance respects, protects and encourages individual, gender, cultural and social diversity.
9. The White Ribbon Alliance is open for membership irrespective of caste, color and creed by any individual or group agreeing to its mission, vision and principles and the unifying symbol of the white ribbon.
10. The White Ribbon Alliance advocates for safe motherhood as a basic human right.
All members should know and adhere to these ten principles in their experi-ences of building, maintaining, and sustaining the WRA.