With 9 million people assisted every year, Amref Flying Doctors is today the leading NGO for public health in Africa. The organization manages more than 160 programs in about 30 African countries, in the most remote areas and with particular attention to women and children.
To promote sustainable changes in public health, Amref collaborates with governments and communities and focuses its programs on training local healthcare personnel. Headquartered in Kenya, Amref today has about 20 offices in Africa, Europe, and North America.
A humanitarian project of the highest value, a global awareness campaign that Fondazione Pesenti supports with the conviction that improving the lives of the poor and vulnerable in the world is the secret to improving the lives of everyone.
The Stand Up for African Mothers project
Today in sub-Saharan Africa, one in two women gives birth at home alone, without qualified medical assistance. Nearly 180,000 women die each year during pregnancy or childbirth. 80% of these deaths could be prevented by the work of midwives.
Faced with this situation, Amref’s international campaign Stand Up for African Mothers aims to train 15,000 African midwives to help reduce maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa by 25%. To date, 11,726 midwives and nurses have been trained in 10 sub-Saharan African countries.
The training programs implemented on the ground target about fifteen African countries where midwifery training is especially important. In collaboration with local governments and health ministries, Amref organizes diploma courses with guaranteed employment for qualified midwives. Depending on the needs of each country, Amref provides either initial training (classroom courses) or ongoing training (with mixed formulas combining e-learning and practical training).
In France and Monaco, the Stand Up for African Mothers campaign is supported by a group of “heart ambassadors,” influential women in the fields of sports, cinema, television, and music. Sensitive to the cause of African mothers, they commit to bringing the campaign’s messages to the media, participating in events, and making periodic visits to the field. Hundreds of French and Monegasque midwives have also committed themselves with Amref to support the training of their African colleagues and are carrying out awareness and fundraising campaigns.
On October 16 at the Pavillon Cambon-Capucines in Paris, Amref Flying Doctors will honor the results of the Stand Up for African Mothers campaign and actions in favor of training frontline healthcare workers.
AMREF Flying Doctors AMREF Francia Stand Up for African Mothers
