32- year-old Fonifacia has experienced the loss of two children. “I was 18 when I became pregnant for the first time. When I reached eight months my baby stopped moving. We went to the hospital to see the doctor but my baby had already died,” she says. “My second baby also died when he was just six-months-old.”
Fonifacia now has two healthy sons, seven-year-old Deonizio and his younger brother, Dean (pictured with Fonifacia), who is 18-months-old.
“I get a lot of information on health from the CHVs when they visit my home. They are really friendly and make us feel relaxed and comfortable enough to ask questions or for clarification,” says Fonifacia.
After attending sessions held by the CHVs she felt more confident during her pregnancy with Dean. “After having complete treatment in the clinic, I gave birth to my youngest son, Dean in the health centre. He was 4.3 kilograms.”
ChildFund also works with nurses and midwives in health centres to increase their capacity in safe delivery, good pre-natal care practices and follow up care that is required by mothers and newborn babies.
Community Health Volunteers have visited almost 5,000 homes and provided vital health training to 1,437 school children. In addition, 47 professional health workers have been trained in safe motherhood and newborn care, two community health posts have been refurbished and 6,000 mosquito nets distributed to families.
