SPECIAL PROJECTS REPORT Darcie Clapp, Special Projects Coordinator October 2010, District 15 Fall Conference

“Because every woman has the right to a clean and safe childbirth.” Birthing Kit Project Adapted from ZI Districts 22, 23, 24 Manual Aug 2010

Why?  One hundred and twenty million women give birth every year  86% deliver in developing countries  60 million of these are women who either have the assistance of a Traditional Birth Attendant or no assistance at all  Half a million women die annually, many from infection, tetanus and hemorrhaging.  For every woman who dies in childbirth, around another 30 women (15 million) incur injuries and infections, many of which are often painful, disabling, embarrassing and lifelong.

What?  Zonta District 15 Clubs who elect to participate in the project will assemble clean birthing kits to be delivered from the USA to Afghanistan or to a prepositioning warehouse in Dubai, Malaysia or Panama and from Canada to Honduras.  Working with ZI to approve our distribution partner: CARE USA and CARE Canada  MOTHERS MATTER – CARE Signature Campaign -Improve access to safe delivery services for 30 million women in Africa, Asia and Latin America by 2015  50+ years of experience and success developing and implementing maternal and child health programs  Works directly with women and communities, empowering them with resources and training to ensure that safe birth is a basic human right

Where?  Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, estimated at 1900/100,000 live births, and a lifetime risk of maternal death is approximately 1:9. The women are either geographically restricted or culturally not allowed to use health facilities.  In Honduras, only 67% of women receive delivery care. Mothers have a lifetime risk of maternal mortality of 1:93, as reported by UNICEF in a 2005 study

How? Birthing Kits save lives and reduce suffering by providing for a clean birth. There are 7 cleans necessary for a clean birth: 1)Clean birth site 2)Clean hands 3)Clean umbilical ties 4)Clean cut 5)Clean eyes 6)Clean umbilical cord 7)Clean perineum. Our Zonta Birthing Kit addresses each of the 7 cleans. All is contained in small Ziploc bag. It is basic, light, small, water resistant and simple to use.

Who?  All USA kits will be collected by Darcie Clapp or  All Canadian kits will be collected by Gayle Manley or

Cost? Each kit costs approximately US$3.00, including the press seal bag and labels; additional costs will be incurred to ship to destination and for customs-to be split based on the number of kits per club participating.

Content? US$2.74Total

Where? When?  It’s up to your club to set up a kit assembly day, order the supplies and get the completed kits to the correct District liaison.  Invite schools and public to help with kit assembly. Approximately 2000 kits can be completed in 4 hours with 40 workers.  Use the birthing kit program to secure PR for your local club.  Kits are in dire need, CARE expressed interest for 2000+/year.

“Give a girl EVERY day of her life back.” Reusable Menstrual Pads Project

Project Overview  To provide pads to school aged girls in Africa who, without them, are isolated, do not go to school and often drop out at the age of puberty  The agency making this request and providing delivery of this product is: PROJECT THRIVE -- Days for Girls  In 2009 Zonta Clubs in District 15 sewed 200 pads  An estimated 500 pads will be donated in 2010

“The comfort pillow with heart” Mastectomy Pillow Project

Project Overview  To provide soft pillows to mastectomy patients to use between their arm and chest during recovery  Completed pillows are donated to local hospitals or the American Cancer Society for distribution  Tally up the number of pillows donated by your club and send to Darcie Clapp