Midwifery school: Life for mothers and children in South Sudan

Background information

According to UNICEF, 64 out of 1000 babies in South Sudan die in their first year of life. In comparison: in Switzerland, this figure is three out of every 1,000 children (as of 2021).

The need for trained midwives is therefore great. The midwifery school of our partner organization PRDA was founded in 2005 in the city of Leer. In spring 2014, the school relocated to northern Kenya due to the civil war. As part of a three-year training course, qualified midwives are trained there to support women during pregnancy and childbirth, prevent problems and treat complications. There is a fundamental demand for training in the health sector in South Sudan. Prevention activities, including vaccinations, are also important in order to reduce the spread of diseases. The trained midwives inform women about reproductive health.

Project goals

The project trains professional midwives. They care for women during pregnancy as well as during and after birth and give the newborns a good start in life.

The overall goal of the project is to support mothers and children. The trained midwives provide women of childbearing age with knowledge regarding hygiene as well as reproductive health and family planning issues. At the same time, women and infants have better access to medical care.

Target group

The project benefits the wider population in South Sudan, as the trained midwives go on to work in various hospitals in South Sudan, as trainers or as community midwives. Others work in the refugee camp, where there is also a great need for trained midwives. The Presbyterian Relief and Development Agency (PRDA) recruits students from all regions of South Sudan, regardless of their ethnicity.

Activities

• Theoretical and practical training to become a state-recognized midwife.
• During the practical training period, vaccination campaigns for infants are carried out and expectant mothers and mothers in childbed are accompanied. Midwives must attend at least 50 births during their training in order to graduate.
• Purchase of teaching materials and work clothes
• Accommodation and healthy meals for the pupils and teaching staff.
• Support for the alumni network.

Project progress

Since its foundation, 122 women have successfully completed their midwifery training. On May 27, 2023, the newly built midwifery school in Juba was opened with a big celebration. There are currently 58 students enrolled at the midwifery school in Juba. The new and larger school now has space for twice as many students. This year, for the first time, there is a male student, which is very special and desirable for everyone.

Juba is strategically well located. There are enough hospitals for internships and good networking opportunities with other organizations working in the field (ICRC, Doctors Without Borders, WHO, etc.). It has been shown in the past that midwives can provide the best support if they train the so-called community midwives in the rural regions together with other organizations, as mentioned above.