The Worst Place on Earth to Be a Mother

The Maternity Project

The United Nations has rated Niger as the worst place on earth to be a mother (Norway is the best).  It is a complex calculation. The main factors are the very high death rate of pregnant women and their babies.  Other issues are the very extreme lack of health care access and the multiple ways that the women are oppressed with lack of opportunities such as very low literacy/education.  Malnutrion and high malaria/TB/HIV all disproportionately affect women.  Women having babies suffer in ways we in the USA just cannot understand, it is beyond our frame of reference or ability to understand.

SIM Galmi Hospital has had maternity care at the core of their mission for 50 years and for the last 2 years has been their top priority in gearing up a new effort to make an impact on behalf the women and children in their district.  A team of US engineers has designed a new Maternity unit.  The fund-raising is well on its way they have raised about one third of the necessary $250,000 needed.    The foundations have been poured for the new facility and if additional funds come in the project could be ready by the end of 2013!  

Stephen Montgomery is the Director of Galmi Ministries.  He is a passionate advocate and visionary for the ministry, CEO/administrator and  IT Geek all rolled into one who has been serving in Galmi for almost a decade.  He is the principal promoter of the new maternity unit. 

Chad Windsor is the chief construction engineer.  He grew up as a missionary kid in Nigeria.  He did his stint in the US marines Hooya! Now he and his wife are raising their two children in Galmi for the last 10 years.  The entire hospital complex is being rebuilt and then the old sections that are falling down are being demolished to make room for further new buildings.  Chad is bringing a new level of excellence and durability to the hospital which will ensure that the ministry will continue for many more decades to come.