Women and Children First (UK)

Every year, around the world, over three million new-born babies and about a quarter of a million women die during pregnancy or childbirth. Women and Children First works in 12 countries across Africa, Asia and Central America to reduce these unacceptable numbers of largely avoidable deaths. 

We are proudly celebrating 15 years of sharing knowledge and saving lives as, since we started work in 2002, we have established over 6,000 women’s groups across Africa and Asia and saved over 5,000 mothers’ and babies’ lives.

Joyce Aikido is the facilitator of the Ripelonyo women’s group in Uganda: “In the women’s group we learn about many things: from family planning to malaria and nutrition. Most of us did not know about family planning before and would have too many children yet not enough food or money to take care of them. Now we have knowledge and choice.” 

We can reduce the rate of maternal deaths by a half, just by women sharing knowledge.