from our staff
A senior principal for a Birmingham college has backed the city based Ammalife medical campaign.
Joseph Chamberlain College raised more than £366 for the charity which works worldwide to prevent maternal deaths during pregnancy or childbirth.
The money was raised by students who are all learning English at the college. Many are mothers themselves.
'proud of support..'
Deputy principal Selina Stewart (right) said: “We’re delighted that our community classes want to support this cause because I believe that women, wherever they live, should have the chance of a safe birth.’
‘Ammalife is a local charity, set up by staff at Birmingham Women’s Hospital, and it has an international reputation for its work in this area. Joseph Chamberlain is very proud to support this work.”
The organisation draws on the expertise of professionals within women’s health, and those with experience in developing countries. It brings together ideas, research, resources, projects and training to where they are needed most to make a difference.
Today the students presented the cheque to Dr Dukaydah Van der Berg and midwife Amie Wilson- both from Ammalife.
dr van der berg
Dr Van der Berg (left) said, ” A woman dies every 90 seconds from complications of pregnancy and childbirth and 99% of those deaths are in some of the poorest countries in the world. Most of those deaths are preventable. It’s great that women living here in Birmingham are helping us tackle this problem.”
Amie Wilson, a midwife at the Women’s Hospital, is the charity’s PhD student at Birmingham University. Her research has been published in the British Medical Journal. She said: “The money raised means that another 60 women in Malawi will have the chance of a safer birth. I know how hard it is to raise money in these difficult times so all of us at Ammalife are really grateful.”
And Mousomi Begum Lipy, one of the students added: “If the mother is safe, then the baby will be safe too. The mother is the heart of a healthy family. We all want to help.”
+TheBirminghamPress is an official sponsor for Ammalife. The charity’s website is www.ammalife.org