A glimpse into Mother and Child Health training

As we enter the little clinic, about ten women are already waiting for us in the corridor. Sitting on a bench or leaning against the wall, they seem eager to learn more about their health and how to take care of the baby they are expecting. Some are still very young, others in their mid-thirties. Their bellies range from a nearly visible bump, to bellies clearly in the last stages of pregnancy. As different as they are, these women now experience another part of their village life together. “Are you expecting twins, that your belly is so huge?”

The mother and child health lesson always starts with a review of the last training. “Did you share what you learned with someone?” “Yes, we learned about breastfeeding and I already told my sister how her baby needs deep attachment to drink well. We never knew that!”
The current lesson is about recognizing warning symptoms and when to take children to the doctor. The women are listening intently. They all want the best for their (future) children. They know the anxiety that arises when a child gets ill. If nothing else, after this training they will have a bit more confidence in facing the situation. “A child won’t get sick from its mother’s milk, so in general, keep breastfeeding them. Your milk cannot spoil, that is just an old wives tale.”

Assistance International is committed to teaching and training, enabling people to improve their livelihood. Trainings like these, one step at a time, help local women to improve their health and that of their children. And as our trainer jokes at the end of the lesson: “Knowing how to prevent or treat common sicknesses at home, might also save you the money for a doctor’s visit and for medicines you do not really need.”