We teach Haitian women the midwifery skills that make them skilled birth attendants. The World Health Organization has found that skilled birth attendants make the difference between life and death for women and their babies. The setting for instruction is in central Haiti at rural clinics and a hospital. The Ministry of Health in Haiti has recognized that due to distance, transportation and lack of information, many women do not get to medical facilities in time to save their lives. The chances of dying from childbirth in Haiti were estimated by WHO as 1 in 17, mostly due to pregnancy-induced-hypertension, eclampsia, sepsis, and postpartum hemorrhage.

We work in collaboration with the Ministry of Health in Haiti, various faith-based organizations, and other groups that are working to improve the lives and health of the Haitian people. An important part of our work is net-working with anyone in Haiti who can advise us, direct us to resources, and who would like to join our efforts.

For prenatal care we use the guidelines from “Saving Mother’s Lives: What really works” by the White Ribbon Alliance for Motherhood. For our main text, we use “A Book for Midwives” by Susan Klein. This is the text that we have translated into Creole and that students use for a primary reference. For assessing more advanced skills we are adapting the ACNM’s Life Saving Skills handbooks. The World Health Organization’s list of the required skills and abilities of a skilled birth attendant is our guide for measuring the achievement status of our students.

Volunteers assist our Haitian instructors with teaching and demonstrating care for women. A typical day may include classroom teaching with a translator or being in the clinic or hospital with students while caring for laboring and delivering women.

Requirements include compassion and respect for what the Haitian women have to teach us, -“In the U. S. we do this, how do you do it here?” Another requirement is to enjoy and be good at teaching what you know in a clear and simple manner. This means using a multitude of teaching methods , visuals, demonstrations, and methods of testing knowledge that may require some creativity. You also have to be willing to live somewhat like a Haitian woman for one week. No AC, a toilet that may or may not flush, hand washed clothing, and beans and rice for meals are a given. You also need to be open to the spiritual element of being in Haiti and the joy that will surprise you each day.