Summer of Sisterhood: Afya Foundation's Mothers Saving Mothers' "Sorting Parties"

Written by Heather, NYC

I have never been one to get very involved in causes, but when my friend Samantha approached me to help her out with The Afya Foundation's program, Mothers Saving Mothers, I could not say no. This program is dedicated to reducing maternal mortality rates in Liberia and Guatemala by both training midwives and sending them "Safe Birth Kits." These kits contain items like hand sanitizer, baby blankets, baby hats, aprons, blades, and umbilical ties. Afya works to collect, pack and ship supplies to various locations. Samantha wanted me to help assemble the birth kits, so we decided to have a "sorting party," where we all went over to a friend's home and created an assembly line on her kitchen table! The Afya Foundation's staff brought over collected goods, and we sorted through all of them to create individualized safe birth kits. 

Photo from a birth kit sorting party

The afternoon went by so quickly as we chatted about a variety of topics, ranging from maternal health care to our favorite books, all the while creating these wonderful kits. By the end of the day, we had assembled 50 kits, as well as pledged to get our friends and colleagues involved. What started out as a favor to a friend has transformed into a newfound passion for me. I find myself asking friends to donate their baby blankets, and I have been sending out countless e-mails about Mothers Saving Mothers events. I have even approached my office to see if we could set up a donation drive. I hope this program is able to inspire you as much as it has inspired me! 

For more info on what to donate and where, click here.