According to UNICEF, 62 out of 1,000 babies in South Sudan die in their first year of life. In comparison: in Switzerland, this figure is four out of every 1,000 children (as of 2018).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The need for trained midwives is therefore great. The midwifery school of our partner organization PRDA was founded in 2005 in the city of Leer. In spring 2014, the school relocated to northern Kenya due to the civil war. Construction of the midwifery school in Juba began in 2022. The newly built school in Juba was finally opened in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As part of a three-year training course, qualified midwives are trained there to accompany women during pregnancy and childbirth, prevent problems and treat complications. There is a fundamental demand for training in the health sector in South Sudan. Prevention activities, including vaccinations, are also important in order to reduce the spread of diseases. The trained midwives inform women about reproductive health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project trains professional midwives. They care for women during pregnancy as well as during and after birth and give the newborns a good start in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The overall goal of the project is to support mothers and children. The trained midwives provide women of childbearing age with knowledge regarding hygiene as well as reproductive health and family planning issues. At the same time, women and infants have better access to medical care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project benefits the wider population in South Sudan, as the midwives remain in the health sector after completing their training and either teach with the international organization \"Community Midwives\" or continue their studies. In any case, it benefits women throughout South Sudan, whether in camps for internally displaced persons or in refugee camps outside the country, where there is also a great need for trained midwives. The Presbyterian Relief and Development Agency (PRDA) recruits students from all regions of South Sudan, regardless of ethnicity or religion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n