Gender Equality Australia Project #7108

Birthing Kits - providing a clean and safe birth

by Birthing Kit Foundation (Australia)

Birthing Kits - providing a clean and safe birth

Project Report | May 22, 2026
Strengthening Rural Maternal Healthcare

By Birthing Kit Foundation Australia | Program Manager

Great Lakes Midwifery College located in the DRC

The Birthing Kits Foundation Australia (BKFA) continued to strengthen maternal and newborn healthcare workforce capacity through partnerships in Somaliland and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In collaboration with Edna Adan University Hospital and Mission in Health Care and Development (MHCD), BKFA supported vulnerable students from underserved rural communities to undertake midwifery training and contribute to improving access to skilled maternal healthcare in high-need regions.

In Somaliland, BKFA launched a scholarship initiative supporting four young women from remote communities to undertake a fully funded four-year midwifery degree at Edna Adan University in Hargeisa. Scholarships covered tuition, accommodation, living expenses, and study supplies, enabling students to complete both academic and clinical training at the internationally recognised Edna Adan Hospital. Upon graduation, students will return to their home communities to provide culturally appropriate maternal and newborn healthcare services in areas with limited access to skilled professionals.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, BKFA partnered with MHCD to implement the Midwifery Students Sponsorship Project in Luvungi Town. The initiative successfully identified and enrolled 10 vulnerable first-year students, many of whom were orphans or from highly disadvantaged backgrounds. Despite ongoing regional instability and conflict, all students remained committed to their studies. BKFA funding supported tuition and examination fees, reducing financial barriers and enabling students to continue their education with greater stability and confidence.

The MHCD project was developed in response to the severe shortage of trained maternal healthcare workers in rural areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where maternal and neonatal mortality rates remain among the highest globally. Through community outreach and student selection processes, MHCD worked closely with families and local communities to identify students most in need of support. The organisation also highlighted the strong emotional and social impact of the initiative, with students and their families expressing deep gratitude for the opportunity to pursue education and contribute to improving healthcare services in underserved communities. The program is expected to strengthen long-term maternal healthcare capacity by supporting graduates to return to their home regions as qualified midwives.

Together, these initiatives aim to address the critical shortage of skilled midwives in underserved communities, improve maternal and newborn health outcomes, and promote long-term gender equality and community empowerment through education and locally led healthcare solutions.

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Feb 2, 2026
Clean Birth in Action: 129,860 Safer Deliveries Supported In 2024-25

By Mercy Thompson | Program Manager

Throughout the 2024–25 period, the Clean Birth Kit (CBK) program distributed 129,860 Clean Birth Kits across Africa and the Pacific through 27 field partners in 11 countries, supporting women to give birth in safer and more hygienic conditions. In Nigeria, Diocesan Health Initiative (DHI) distributed 3,900 kits across Niger State. Of these, 300 kits were provided directly to pregnant mothers, 2,680 kits were distributed through primary health centres, 300 through General Hospital Minna, 200 to traditional birth attendants, and 370 in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. All kits were received in good condition and distributed free of charge.

One mother, Hadiza, received her Clean Birth Kit at Maikunkele Primary Health Centre before delivering her baby girl. She shared that the kit replaced the rags she had been asked to bring and that she was not charged for any additional items during delivery. Her mother-in-law, who accompanied her, expressed relief that they did not have to pay for supplies they could not afford. Nurses also noted the practicality of the kits during use, reinforcing their value in supporting clean deliveries. Across communities, recipients consistently report feeling encouraged to attend antenatal care and deliver at facilities when they know sterile supplies are available.

Community feedback continues to shape and strengthen the program. Health workers and pregnant women across multiple locations have emphasized how access to sterile gloves, clean blades, plastic sheets, and cord ties contributes to safer delivery environments and reduces anxiety during labour. Government health officials in Niger State also welcomed the kits, noting that they help encourage women to access antenatal care and facility-based delivery services.

These partnerships between communities, health facilities, and local authorities reinforce a shared commitment to ensuring that every mother, regardless of income or location, can give birth with dignity, safety, and essential clean supplies

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Oct 7, 2025
BKFA Celebrates 3 Million Kits

By Kate Dyer | Marketing and Engagement Coordinator

Some of the BKFA team with the Governor of SA

The Birthing Kit Foundation Australia (BKFA) marked a major milestone in September 2025, celebrating the assembly of its 3 millionth Clean Birth Kit at a special reception hosted by Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia, at Government House.

The event brought together BKFA staff, volunteers, partners, and long-time supporters to reflect on the organisation’s impact over more than two decades of service to women and babies around the world.

In her address, Her Excellency congratulated BKFA on its life-saving work, noting that “millions of mothers and babies around the world have had a safer birth and even avoided death because their birth attendant had access to a kit.” She also highlighted the enduring significance of the program, observing that “small acts can have profound impact, and Adelaide is a great place to get started.”

The milestone holds special meaning, as the 3 millionth kit was assembled by the Zonta Club of Adelaide Hills, the same club that produced the first kit in 1996. Members of the club attended the reception, celebrating a proud full-circle moment in BKFA’s history.

Her Excellency also recognised the spirit of volunteerism and the profound lessons of BKFA’s Assembly Days, which “impart powerful lessons - that women and their babies, no matter where they live, deserve the chance for a healthy start.”

A second milestone will be celebrated in May 2026, as we acknowledge 20 years of the Foundation's operation. We are aiming to pack 20,000 kits across the country during May, setting a record for the largest Clean Birth Kit production month and also marking International Day of the Midwife on Tuesday 5 May, and Mother's Day on Sunday 10 May 2026.

If your club or organisation is looking to pack kits around this time, please consider holding your event during May and being part of this special occasion.

Dr Julie Monis-Ivett responds to Her Excellency

The morning tea reception at Government House

Links:

Celebrating 20 Years with Mother's May

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