At Umpiem Mai Refugee Camp, there are so many people who work incredibly hard to make better lives for themselves, and for the refugees who call the camp home. But there’s a team of women who are at the heart of all this, who welcome new life and bring comfort to new mothers and their families – our team of midwives.
These five women take care of families, help them plan and prepare for their new babies, see them through the delivery, and make sure the baby is getting the care they need after. They have a big job. But one thing they shouldn’t have to worry about? Laundry.
“We don’t have anywhere to hang the sheets, towels, clothes – everything after we wash them,” said Snowdrop, one of the midwives. “Sometimes we even have to hang them on bamboo trees. And this is harmful to the baby because sometimes leaves, insects, and dirt get on them.”
We knew we could do even one small thing to help these heroic women – on Day 165, we’re making a space to dry their laundry.
We put up some poles, a roof, and lines with pins to hang the clothes. Now, even during the rainy season, the midwives can dry their clothes and not have to worry about finding places around the hospital to hang their things. And they don’t have to worry about clothes and sheets being unsanitary, or unwanted dirt or branches that might do harm to vulnerable babies.
“This is really, really useful for the mothers and the baby,” said Snowdrop. “We are really happy to have this for them.”
