To significantly reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in rural Haitian communites.
Country Of Origin
United States
Country of Operation
Haiti
Strenghts
Close ties to the local communities over 17+ years of operation.
Strong network of local and national partners in Haiti
Licensed by MSPP with a good relationship
Dedicated support in the US
Operationally nimble with little bureaucracy and/or red tape
Long Term Plan
To expand our zone of service and implement an HPV testing and treatment program.
Ongoing Projects
Full service maternal health care operations: pre- and post-natal care, deliveries, STD testing and treatment (including HIV/AIDS), family planning, reproductive health, well baby care (vaccinations and nutrition), and community health outreach.
Description
In 2004, two Kansas City doctors returned from a medical mission trip to Haiti, realizing that the effect of their visit ended when they left. Dr. Elizabeth Wickstrom and Dr. Stan Shaffer had a vision of providing ongoing services in rural, under served Haitian communities where high quality maternal and infant health care was absent.
Maison de Naissance, a modern, culturally appropriate maternal center, was established in 2004 in Torbeck, Haiti, and is sponsored by Global Birthing Home Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit public charity based in Leawood, KS. Since its establishment, Maison de Naissance has performed over 7,600 healthy deliveries, and conducted more than 375,000 total consultations.
Global Birthing Home Foundation operates in Haiti as a non-governmental organization, shares local oversight of the birth center’s operations, and is responsible for fundraising for all programs and operations.
GBHF was awarded grants totaling $220,000 for earthquake recovery and relief work, primarily for restoring our maternal and infant healthcare operations, but also to support food, water, hygiene and shelter supply distributions to our patient communities in Torbeck.
Weaknesses
Financially stable, but only with outside support during disasters.
Needs
A detailed emergency (disaster) preparedness and response plan.
