On arriving in Uganda in January 2008, Kuol spent 2 and a half days at customs trying to collect the consignment. All seven boxes in the consignment were released after a tax of US$200 was paid (this was generously covered by Zonta International).
Mel and Kuol then carted the 150kg of goods on buses to the north of Uganda and across to Juba in South Sudan. Henry and I arrived in Wäramoth two weeks after Mel and Kuol. On our second to last day in Wäramoth a large number of women including two midwives were gathered at Mel and Kuol’s ‘home’, a tent, latrine and shower tent. We demonstrated, using Kuol and his mother as interpreters, how to use the birthing kits, stressing the hand washing and safety with the scalpel blades. We divided the birthing kits in to four lots of 50 to be used in different regions around Wäramoth. News spread and the next day 2 more midwives arrived at Mel and Kuol’s home to be given their kits, this was very useful as it was too difficult for us to walk to them.
Birthing kit training
The partnership between Zonta International and Timpir is a new and developing one, but one we hope will continue for many years to come. To date we have delivered 400 birthing kits to South Sudan which have hopefully assisted with the safe and healthy delivery of 400 babies in South Sudan.
Birthing kit donation
