Stop maternal and infant death in Cambodia

Thanks to your donations, we have been able to provide essential items to 3 mothers and 3 newborn babies. 

You have made a significant difference to the life a single mother, by ensuring her health, and provided the best start in life to a child, who would havebe born in extreme poverty, and possibly been taken away from a loving mother. You have gifted them with the chance to bond, create a nest of tenderness, and have kept them healthy and strong.

One of this woman was Sophy, with her child Neary.

Sophy arrived in our offices one morning. Her eyes were sad and her chin lowered to her chest. She wouldn't look any of us in the eyes. 

She realised she was pregnant a month before our meeting. In Cambodia, reproduction is a great taboo. And she always thought that she would only get pregnant when married. No one had ever told her, and the shock of her pregnancy left her depressed, full of shame, and deeply isolated. 

She told one of her friend, who saw how withdrawn she was, and they both reached to us. 

Sophy's pregnancy went well, but when her family found out, they cut all ties with her. We started family mediation, but it takes time, and we needed to find a safe place for Sophy.

We took her in our Mothers' Home where she met other moms, some pregnant, some with children. They helped each other, and watching her housemates interact with children, took her fear of motherhood away. Our midwife made regular visits making sure the pregnancy was going well, and getting Sophy prepared for delivery. Neary was born two months ago. She is lovely baby girl, with beautiful dark eyes and a lovely smile. Her skin is fair, which makes her mother very proud!

After delivery, we provided Sophy with a baby basket that includes every item a mother and her newborn need for the first 6 weeks. Inside her basket, Sophy found hygiene essentials for herself and her baby, a mosquito net (as mosquitoes can carry deadly diseases in Cambodia), etc. We also provide regular visits from our midwife, parenting classes, and the support every mother needs after pregnancy.

Keeping Sophy in good health is paramount to having her beautiful baby boy in top health. We are even training our staff to see signs of postpartum depression. Women in our Pregnancy Support Program are particularly vulnerable to depression. Being single, they face the hardship of parenthood alone, and society rejects them. Monitoring their progress, their health, and providing them with a safe place to talk is one of our main goals.

Thanks to your support, Sophy has become an empowered young mother, and is determined to give her daughter Neary a great future. Neary is in great health, and we will continue to monitor their progress for the next year.