Nepal
Background
In Nepal life expectancy for women is lower than for men. The maternal mortality rate is 7.4‰, while the neonatal mortality rate is 39‰. Although the geography of the country, on one hand, makes access to emergency obstetric care difficult, the weakness of the health system after years of conflict does little to facilitate access to healthcare. In this context, MdM is working in the health and microfinance sectors to help women become more independent.
Mother and child health and microcredit
»ACTIVITIES
Since June 2008, the MdM programme has extended from 9 to 12 Village Development Communities. By supporting health services, the project aims to improve access to, and quality of, maternal and child care and emergency obstetric and neonatal care. MdM has also organised a campaign, during microfinance group meetings, to raise awareness of reproductive health issues within the communities. These groups receive training, with a view to reducing rural household poverty, to improve their access to microfinance and to organise a referral system.
»OUTLOOK
The objective for 2009 is to bring the microfinance groups together and to initiate the creation of co-operatives that can optimise resource use and ensure that the system is sustainable in the long-term.
Susanne Stein in Nepal 2010
Susanne Stein, Krankenschwester, Diplom-Pädagogin und Gesundheitswissenschaftlerin (Master International Health) ist seit Ende Juli 2010 in Nepal für Ärzte der Welt (Médecins du Monde) als Koordinatorin im Einsatz. Dort wird sie für mindestens ein Jahr humanitäre Hilfe leisten. Ärzte der Welt führte kurz vor ihrer Abreise ein kurzes Interview mit Susanne Stein durch.