Current activities include:
Support of orphaned and vulnerable infants and the families caring for them.
Half of all child deaths occur in the first 30 days of life. For this reason Chimwemwe mu'bereki (CU) identifies the most vulnerable infants (orphans, multiples, premies) immediately after birth and provides supportive home based care. When a mother dies during or after childbirth her newborn usually follows soon after and then, if she has one, her toddler. Wet nursing is no longer recommended due to the risk of transmitting HIV and formula is prohibitively expensive for most Malawian families who need it. For orphaned newborns CU provides formula and teaches relatives how to prepare it safely, CU visits the baby regularly to monitor her growth and development. Other children in the home who may need extra support are also identified. And,when problems threatening the children's well-being are identified, CU works with families and communities to find solutions. Because of the individualized care provided and the distance traveled to visit babies in remote areas, this program requires much more time and money per child than the feeding program. But, no one else is following these babies and even though some die in spite of our support we know many more would die without it. This is not a question of cost-effectiveness but the provision of essential and humane care.
Supporting women after birth.
Women who are seriously ill during the time of their delivery require extra support during the period following the birth. When such women are identified, CU conducts home visits and assists these women with a few basic necessities.
We have recently retired our feeding program and tuition assistance program.
Though the feeding program and the tuition assistance program supported many children and young adults, in an effort to maximize our impact we have decided to narrow our focus. CU transferred the Kwale feeding program into the capable caring hands of the John C Thomas Children's Foundation so the children in that area will continue to receive regular meals. As for our sponsored students, all but two completed the education programs in which they were enrolled. Members of the AMHI board have made the personal commitment to provide funds for the remaining two students.
CU's home visits to moms and babies have had a very positive impact and NO other organization (apart from the overburnded public health sector) is providing service to these high risk women and babies in Lilongwe District. CU faces a big task in providing this care and our work is to make sure that CU has what they need to provide the care which ensures the survival and protects the health of vulnerable women and babies.
