Project Description

Dombila is a rural community in the town of Kati in the Koulikoro, province of southern Mali. Until World Connect stepped in to partner with the Health Committee, most of the 375 women of childbearing age in Dombila insisted on home deliveries, increasing their risk of infection, complications, and maternal/newborn mortality. But the local maternity clinic wasn’t much better: no running water, iffy electricity, rickety delivery tables, peeling walls. Not long after the funding arrived, the villagers met with solar power specialists who blueprinted a water and electrical system that could provide water circulation, hot water and stable electricity. In addition, the group purchased high quality birthing tables and provided the with resources to decorate the maternity ward to make the space their own, plus community activities emphasizing the importance of giving birth in a health center. Community leaders upped their 25 percent participation obligation to 45 percent and installed a solar-heated baby bath.