Hepatitis B: A Hidden Threat in Senegal

Women and their children in Senegal are facing a growing threat of hepatitis B infection, which can lead to liver cancer and sometimes death.  A recent news report states that over two million Senegalese have the disease, and most don't even know they are infected.  Ninety percent of cases are asymptomatic, and the country doesn't have universal screening, even though 350,000 people in Senegal are chronic carriers.

Hepatitis B can pass from mom to baby during birth, so pregnant women in more developed countries are screened for the disease and infants are vaccinated within 12-24 hours of birth to prevent infection.  The World Health Organization says all infants should be vaccinated by 24 hours old, but most Senegalese babies aren't until at least six weeks, because they were not born in a hospital where the vaccine was on hand.  To make things even more difficult, birth-doses of the vaccine aren't usually covered by international health organizations.

The danger is significant.  WHO states that hepatitis B kills around 600,000 people every year and causes the majority of liver cancers.  Even if the disease is not transmitted during birth, an unvaccinated child is still vulnerable to contracting it at home from contact with an infected caregiver or close relative. Screening and prevention are necessary as those infected as infants or young children are more likely to become chronically ill.

WWHI equips Community Healthcare Workers in Senegal to provide better care to women and their children at the local level.  Rather than having to walk for miles to the nearest clinic, pregnant women can be monitored and educated in their own villages, so threats like hepatitis B can be prevented, and if necessary identified and treated.  Check out the Get Involved section of our site to find out how you can help in this vital mission.

How I Will Celebrate My First Mother's Day as a Mom

Stephanie with her firstborn

  

By Stephanie Owens

I’m fortunate to have had the unique experience of working at an OB-GYN office while being pregnant. I've seen what good obstetrical care looks like from the inside out. During my time there, I witnessed joy, excitement and hope; both my own and that of the women I interacted with each day. There was no question that these women and their babies were in the hands of skilled professionals. The peace of mind this affords is something every expectant mother should experience.

At each visit, we had our vitals checked by a nurse or medical assistant. If there was any cause for concern, the doctors would be notified right away so the necessary care could be given. We were given the proper tests and had the necessary ultrasounds.I never had to go without prenatal vitamins to ensure my son got what he needed for his development. 

I was proud to be a small part of such a vital mission, and grateful to receive such excellent care myself. It never occurred to me that mothers-to-be in other parts of the world were having a drastically different experience. The thought of no medical supervision or giving birth alone would have been outrageous to me.

So upon initially hearing the words "maternal mortality," I was shocked that such a tragedy still exists. In my mind, women had died in childbirth centuries ago, but certainly not since then. Surely not in our modern world, with all of our medical technology, could such a widespread and preventable catastrophe be possible. But all of the advances in the world don't do much good in areas of poverty where women can’t access them. 

It’s difficult to imagine, in our affluent culture, that a pregnant woman might have to walk for miles to have a checkup. Had I not crossed paths with Women's World Health Initiative, I never would have. But for thousands of women in developing countries this is the harsh reality, with no foreseeable hope of giving one's child a better start. These women are equally concerned for their babies' health and their own. There's a significant chance that they may lose their own lives to give life. 

Did you know that every year, 287,000 women die as a result of complications during pregnancy and childbirth? That's one woman every two minutes. For each of these deaths, an average of four orphans are left behind. These women are not only the caretakers, they are often the teachers, the health care providers, the community leaders, and the ones who ensure children get immunizations, education and clean water.

But this Mother's Day, we can make pregnancy and childbirth safer for every mother. By making a donation at wwhi.org in honor of the special women in your life, WWHI sends a Mother's Day card via email or regular mail to the recipient of your choice. Your gift will help women in rural villages of West Africa lead longer lives, raise healthy families, and strengthen their communities. 

Visit wwhi.org to order a card for the special women in your life, and also give hope to women worldwide. 

Happy Mother's Day!

What We Live By

"A person is a person through other persons." -Desmond Tutu

More than 10 years ago, I took time off from school and work to spend 18 months teaching, serving and loving the people of Central and South America. It was one of the happiest times of my life. Never before had I completely given myself to something or someone in that way. My life was full and meaningful. At the same time, I felt inadequate, humbled and utterly vulnerable.

This past week, as I arrived in Senegal, those same feelings of happiness, purpose, humility and vulnerability swallowed me up. This was my first trip to Africa and I wasn’t sure what to expect, only that I didn’t want to go back home feeling like I hadn’t helped in some way. No, I wanted to roll up my sleeves and ingratiate myself with the Senegalese culture and people. I wanted to lose myself in loving and helping them.

But as it usually happens, they have been the ones to teach and love and nurture me. Last Friday, we rode over bumpy dirt roads to Daloto, a rural village on the southeastern corner of Senegal. We spent the day interviewing the local chief, mothers, and children, and preparing for the celebration of WWHI's new malaria and anemia program. We were dirty, tired and hungry, but feeling good about our day’s work. We made one last visit to the local midwife, Monique. As we entered her home (the size of my bedroom), she told us she had cooked dinner for us. Rice, fish, yams, and cold fruit juice she had made herself. We sat on the floor and ate from a big communal bowl, laughed and talked (me, mostly in charade-like hand gestures).

Afterward, we walked back to our car and were thronged by dozens of small children who held our hands and said in broken English, “I love you ... I love you.” I confess, I got teary. I love the people of Daloto. Not only because I’ve spent hours with them in their huts and hospitals, but because they have so willing loved me back.

Monique’s life work — midwifery — is about giving back, improving life, alleviating human suffering and sorrow. Her life’s work, our life’s work — to love others — is what we all live by. As Desmond Tutu, a South African activist, says: “None of us comes into the world fully formed. We would not know how to think, or walk, or speak, or behave as human beings unless we learned it from other human beings. We need other human beings in order to be human. I am because other people are. A person is entitled to a stable community life, and the first of these communities is the family."

This is what Women’s World Health Initiative aspires to do every day through our health programs — build, heal, inspire, preserve and, yes, love.

It’s hard work, but it is all so worth it.

A Time to Dance

To everything there is a season. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

The time to dance came yesterday as village leaders, local midwives, community healthcare workers, and representatives from partner Oromin Joint Ventures Group (OJVG), celebrated the launch of our Community-Based Malaria & Anemia Program. Village women from the Saraya district danced, smiled, cooked, hugged and held hands. They felt hopeful and optimistic that the future won’t be as sorrowful as the past. Because where there is health, there is hope. And so we danced all day.

As the sun set, we said goodbye to our dear friends. The women thanked us, the children chased us, and we talked of the day when we will dance with them again.

Lights...Camera...Action!!!

Bonjour from Senegal. 

We have sure started this year with a bang -  we're in Senegal implementing our CB-MAP but we are also working on a whole slew of other exciting things...

During our visit in Senegal we will be gathering footage to produce a short film! Yes, that means all the stories, photos and the integration of our program - will be taped so we can carry WWHI's mission and story around the globe. We will be capturing raw stories in villages, telling the story of Senegal; it's customs and traditions as well as showing how WWHI's CB-MAP runs. You'll hear from founder Dana Allison as well as take a bumpy ride across the safari.

Our Short has film festivals eagerly awaiting which includes our first acceptance from the Artisan Festival International World Peace Initiative in Festival de Cannes May 18-23 and in the Hamptons September 12-15.

Kathryn Peterson and Veronica Lee Anne -- two WWHI representatives -- will be producing our "No Woman, No Cry" Short.

Oh but the "tickle me pink" fun doesn't stop there! We are also capturing footage for our 1st Annual Spring Gala on April 25 in NYC. Stay tuned for all the lavish details.

Last but not least, we will be launching our volunteer program shortly; opportunities for some real hands-on experience.

Follow us on twitter as we document our trip through Senegal @ twitter.com/WWHINonprofit
Click on either of the photos above to learn more about Artisan Festival International.

New Year, New Beginnings

Bonjour from Senegal! Here at WWHI, we're celebrating the New Year with the launch of our long-awaited Community-based Malaria & Anemia Program (CB-MAP)!

After extensive research and forged partnerships, WWHI is introducing a new, sustainable healthcare system that will build a strong community.

Over the course of the next few months, WWHI will be training local health workers how to prevent and treat malaria and anemia. To successfully eradicate malaria and anemia, we understand there is no quick fix like mosquito nets or other medical handouts. Instead, we'll educate rural communities to become strong and self-reliant so that they can build healthy lifestyles. The other reason communities need this training is that most local hospitals are hours away and many die from lack of access to ground transportation.

We appreciate your support and look forward to updating you with the progress of our program.

To learn more about WWHI or to donate your time or in-kind donation, please visit WWHI.org.

Ending malaria's grip on Senegal

Nearly 2,000 people die in Africa daily from malaria. This preventable and treatable disease costs Africa at least $12 billion every year in lost productivity. WWHI offers sustainable solutions by training local healthcare workers how to detect and treat malaria in pregnant women.

Read more about WWHI's malaria program.

WWHI brings hope to women in Senegal

Read about the exciting ways WWHI is bringing hope to the Saraya district of Senegal, West Africa.

"We are building a highly sustainable program that will transform the lives of women, children and generations to come. The future looks very bright." -Dana Allison, WWHI Executive Director