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Celebrating Mother’s Day through the Stand Up for African Mothers Campaign

More than 200,000 women in Africa die each year during pregnancy and childbirth due to lack of basic medical care.  One trained midwife can provide care to 500 women every year.

New York, 13 May, 2012 – As most of the world celebrates Mother’s Day, AMREF is targeting to train 15,000 midwives by 2015 and contribute towards reduction of maternal mortality by 25 percent. AMREF’s Stand Up for African Mothers global campaign aims to mobilize the public across the world to help train more midwives in Africa, giving mothers and babies a chance at life.  Simple, affordable training saves lives and ensures that having a baby is a time of joy.

“As we mark Mother’s Day, let us celebrate the dedication and humanitarian work of midwives across the world and especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where basic medical care for pregnant women is dangerously scarce,” says Teguest Guerma, Director General, AMREF, the largest international health NGO in Africa.  “We launched Stand Up for African Mothers with the strong belief that together we can reduce maternal mortality in Africa by simply training and funding more African midwives.”

The Stand Up for African Mothers campaign has one simple goal:  train 15,000 midwives by 2015 and contribute to reducing maternal deaths in Africa by 25 percent. Once trained, a single midwife can provide care to 500 women every year, including the safe delivery of 100 babies.


Ways to Stand Up for African Mothers

• Make a donation and personally contribute to the training, funding and equipment needed to help reduce maternal mortality in Africa.
• Sponsor the training of a midwife who will care for 500 African women each year.
• Spread the word about Stand Up for African Mothers through social networks and encourage friends, family and colleagues to take action.

Global Campaign Supporters

The global patron of Stand Up for African Mothers is Graça Machel, Mozambican politician, humanitarian and international advocate for women’s and children’s rights.  “I am thrilled to be part of this very important initiative, which contributes to the U.N. Millennium Development Goal of reducing the maternal mortality in Africa.  Of all the goals, this one is the most shamelessly lagging behind,” says Machel, wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela.  “Let’s work together to reverse the situation and make childbirth a matter of joy.”

The campaign is supported by the Women’s Forum, a global platform for influential women, and top model, actress and philanthropist, Ethiopian national, Liya Kebede.  Communication agencies JCDecaux, Edelman, and ZumGoldenenHirschen are offering pro bono support to help further spread the word. 

Stand Up for African Mothers.  Because no child should be left an orphan and no mother should have to die to give life!

About AMREF

The African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) is an international African not-for-profit organization headquartered in Nairobi.  Founded in 1957 as the Flying Doctors of East Africa to provide critical health care to remote communities in East Africa, AMREF has since grown to become the main African-based international organization working in health development. It works side by side with communities to build the knowledge, skills and means to transform their health, laying foundations that will be felt for generations to come.  AMREF currently implements more than 140 programs and projects. In the past 55 years, AMREF has trained over 500,000 health workers.  

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Contact:

Bernhard Bauer, Director of Individual Giving and Communications
Office:   212.768.2440
Mobile: 917.514.5659
bauer@amrefusa.org

AMREF
4 West 43rd Street, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10036

AMREF keeps journalists informed of critical  national and international issues through media releases, statements, and speech transcripts in full text.

May 13, 2012 As most of the world celebrates Mother’s Day, AMREF confirms its commitment to improving maternal health in Africa, targeting to train 15,000 midwives by 2015 as part of its Stand Up for African Mothers global campaign. Read more.

January 21, 2011 At the Second Global Forum on Human Resources for Health in Bangkok, Thailand, AMREF urges world governments and development partners to move beyond mere discussions and to take concrete action to solve the global health worker crisis. Read More.

June 4, 2010 AMREF is pleased to announce Dr. Teguest Guerma has begun her term as AMREF's new Director General. Read More.

April 14, 2010 AMREF USA benefit luncheon-event: Healthy Girls and Women = Healthy Africa in New York City. Read More.

July 13, 2009 At the conclusion of the 2009 G8 Summit, AMREF is disappointed that no concrete conclusions were made to ensure the right to health for African communities. Read more. 

June 2, 2009 AMREF recently showcased its innovative eSolutions to health care training at an international eLearning conference in Dakar, Senegal. Read more.

January 29, 2009 AMREF would like to urge world leaders not to forget about the devastating impact the financial crisis is having on people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa. Read more.

Read more about the Stand Up for African Mothers Campaign

Support AMREF’s campaign to improve maternal health in Africa to save women’s lives.

Donate now.

No woman should die giving birth.

Yet, more than 200,000 women die each year in sub-Saharan Africa during pregnancy and childbirth. Sadly, most of these deaths could be easily prevented if basic medical care was available.

Training health workers, particularly midwives, is the most cost-effective way to reduce maternal mortality. In light of the tremendous shortage of health workers at all levels across Africa, AMREF has committed to training more than 15,000 midwives over the coming years.

These midwives will be able to provide desperately needed care for approximately  7.5 million women – saving the lives of countless mothers and newborns.

A healthy Africa needs healthy mothers, and African mothers need African midwives.

This Mother's Day, help AMREF improve maternal health in Africa.

Read more about maternal health and AMREF’s campaign.

Donate Now

AMREF’s ground breaking and award winning electronic learning (eLearning) project has launched in Uganda. The project which is designed to rapidly and cost effectively upgrade the skills of midwives, nurses and health workers across Uganda, was launched following a stakeholders meeting in Kampala.

“I am very pleased and indeed delighted to witness the beginning of the eLearning project in Uganda,” said the Minister of Health Honourable Stephen Malinga who presided over the launch. “As you are all aware, one of the biggest challenges in the health sector, not just in Uganda, but all over the world is the critical shortage of health workers. They are the backbone of the health system and are placed to be the bridge that will close the gap that exists between communities and the peripheral end of the health system.”

In Uganda, there is only 1 nurse for every 2,000 people, and only 1 doctor to per almost every 200,000 patients, which is far below what is recommended by World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure optimal care. For nurses, WHO recommends that there be 1 nurse for every 10 patients.

“Our nurse training institutions have been unable to train enough health workers to keep up with the country’s population growth rate and the increasing disease burden,” Said the honourable minister. “The Ministry of Health therefore greatly appreciates the introduction of this innovative eLearning approach to increase access to quality, standardised training. ELearning has already been successfully used by our partner AMREF to rapidly and cost effectively up-scale nurses in Kenya. By fast tracking the training, this eLearning project will greatly enhance the capacity of Uganda’s health system to provide care for the people of this country.” He reiterated.

The launch also saw the formation of a representative steering committee put together to guide the development and implementation of the project.

AMREF’s Country Director, Joshua Kyallo, expressed that the success of AMREF’s work is largely based on strategic partnerships. He requested the stakeholders to utilise their knowledge and expertise to ensure the feasibility and success of the implementation of the eLearning project in Uganda. “AMREF’s approach is to develop models that can be replicated across Africa. In this same spirit, the eLearning model, has been tried and tested in Kenya, and is now being replicated in Uganda. AMREF hopes to continue the replication throughout East Africa and beyond,” he added.

The launch, which took place at the Imperial Royale hotel in Kampala, drew participants and representatives from the ministry of health, ministry of education and sports, health training institutions, health facilities and other development partners. Other participants included representatives from the ministry of local government, professional health councils, the medical bureaus, the Uganda nurses and midwives union and council among others.

“The future lies in our innovative use of technology to improve the way our communities work, live, learn, communicate and, now, take charge of their own health,” said the minister. “The Ministry appreciates AMREF’s role in introducing this project and the Fresenius Foundation’s financial support through AMREF in Germany. Indeed it is only through working together in partnership and collaboration with other stakeholders like these that we will be able to get this country on the road to good health.”

AMREF, in a classic public-private partnership with the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK), the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF), Accenture, the Kenya Medical Training Colleges, several private and faith-based nursing schools and the Ministry of Health Kenya pioneered a country-wide eLearning programme for upgrading nurses in Kenya. The programme commenced in September 2005 with a pilot of 4 schools and 145 students and aims to upgrade 22,000 Enrolled Community Health Nurses (KECHN) from ‘enrolled’ to ‘registered’ level within 5 years.

ELearning was the preferred mode due to its interactivity, cost effectiveness, ease of revision and ability to achieve the goal in less time and at a lower cost than the residential programme. It would also enable continued service provision, instant application of learning and improved quality of care.

<< Read about our eLearning program in Kenya

More than 200,000 women die each year in sub-Saharan Africa during pregnancy and childbirth due to a lack of basic medical care. And, for every woman who dies, another 20 to 30 are left with debilitating diseases. Most of these deaths and disabilities could easily be prevented if women had access to basic medical care. Health workers, in particular, are desperately needed.

We have been working with African communities for more than 50 years, creating lasting health changes. In our work, we champion women, who are at the heart of their families’ and communities’ health, and children because we believe that by focusing on these two vulnerable groups, we can improve the lives and health of families and communities.

AMREF is pleased to announce that we will expand our maternal and child health program in 20 countries in Africa to reach an additional 500,000 women of reproductive age and 1.5 million children.

Over the next 5 years, we will train 3,000 new midwives and retrain 5,000 midwives to upgrade their skills in saving the lives of mothers and newborns. We will also train up to 10,000 community health workers to help provide care to mothers and children at home, and link effectively with health facilities when needed. This new commitment also includes considerable expansion of service delivery to increase the access of disadvantaged communities to medical care.

In partnership with our donors and sponsors, our objective is to make pregnancy and childbirth safer in Africa and to help prevent the needless deaths of women and children.

>> Read more about our work with women 

Photojournalist Alissa Everett (http://www.alissaeverett.com/) traveled to the Turkana region in northwest Kenya in September of 2011 to document the devastating effects of the drought in East Africa. She was able to capture images of communities severely affected by the drought and the work AMREF is doing to ameliorate the suffering.

Please click the photo below, to view the slideshow.

April 24, Addis Ababa. The African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) today received the World Federation of Public Health Associations 2012 Organizational Award. The award is bestowed in recognition of an organization’s outstanding achievements in and contributions to the field of public health and is presented every three years.

Receiving the award, Dr Teguest Guerma, AMREF’s Director General, stated that AMREF works in the remotest communities in Africa, serving the most vulnerable people in order to achieve lasting health change in Africa. “We believe that the power to transform Africa’s health lies within its communities. We therefore work side by side with the people to build their knowledge and skills, so that they can transform their own health,” she emphasized.

She observed that AMREF’s credibility with local communities and African governments stems from the relationship and trust that AMREF has built over the past 55 years, which includes learning from, influencing and partnering with various stakeholders to build long-term relationships and ensure solutions are holistic and address the breadth of the communities’ health needs. She gave an example of Ethiopia, where AMREF pioneered a Clinical and Surgical Outreach program in 2006, partnering with the Ministry of Health, the Gynaecology Society of Ethiopia, the Surgical Society of Ethiopia, and Addis Ababa University to increase access by disadvantaged communities to quality medical, surgical, and diagnostic services. Each hospital in the program is visited every three or four months, with specialists staying in the hospitals for up to a week, dealing with cases ranging from plastic and reconstructive surgery, to urology and orthopaedics and at the same time transferring skills to local health workers.

Dr Guerma noted that AMREF’s recognition in the public health arena also stems from the fact that AMREF strengthens health systems, particularly at community level, and develops human resources for health to alleviate the critical shortage of skilled health workers in Africa. AMREF has trained over 500,000 community health workers, mid-level health workers, and leaders of health institutions from over 33 African countries, she said, adding that eLearning, mLearning and ICT-based methodologies have been applied to rapidly and cost-effectively scale up training of the health workforce.  

AMREF’s focus on women and children, who are central in transforming communities from within, has seen it launch an international awareness campaign called Stand Up for African Mothers, said the Director General.  She explained that the campaign aims to train 15,000 midwives by 2015, in order to contribute to reduction of maternal mortality in Africa by up to 25 per cent.

Read more about our work strengthening health systems and training urgently needed health workers.

Over the last decade, international efforts to combat malaria have been ramped up through innovative funding, which has enabled the development of new tools and improved access to malaria prevention and control measures. Since 2000, the incidence of malaria globally has reduced by 17%, while malaria mortality rates have fallen by 26%. Although these rates are less than the internationally agreed targets of 50% reduction by 2010, they still represent a major achievement.

However, more work is urgently needed - malaria still claims the life of one child every minute. People living in high-risk malarial areas, especially disadvantaged communities and those living in rural areas, face severe challenges in accessing tools and services for malaria prevention and treatment. The heavy economic and social burden that malaria inflicts on families and societies maintains communities in an unbreakable cycle of disease and poverty.

Because malaria is preventable and treatable, many more lives can be saved through a combination of proven and innovative malaria control interventions. As an organization working side-by-side with communities, AMREF wants to see people with the knowledge, skills and means to tackle malaria, maintain their good health and break the cycle of poor health and poverty. Successful malaria control programs not only save lives but also have a real impact on the productivity and wellbeing of people in malaria-endemic areas.

The recent successes noted in Africa are still fragile and need to be reinforced, expanded and sustained. The reduction in commitments from the Global Fund, one of the main international donors for malaria control, is a major threat to achieving universal malaria control. Funding from governments in Africa is generally less than US$1 per at-risk person and represents a very small proportion of the total financing required in the most highly endemic countries.

AMREF is concerned that adequate funding is maintained, and calls on governments, donors, the private sector and partners to reinforce and renew their commitment to invest in malaria control and build strong partnerships. This will help to sustain the gains already made, scale up interventions in high-risk malarial areas, strengthen health and community systems, and meet the strategic goals to eliminate malaria in Africa.

Training urgently needed health workers 

AMREF is training health workers in close to 40 African countries and beyond. Through training, we aim to strengthen the capacity and capability of health and health-related professionals and institutions.

Health services cannot function without sufficient numbers of skilled, motivated, and supported health workers. Yet estimates suggest that Africa needs 1 million more health workers in order to meet the Millennium Development Goals for health.

Every year, AMREF trains more than 10,000 community health workers who bring health closer to people's homes in some of Africa's most marginalized communities.  We also train doctors, nurses, community midwives, clinical officers, laboratory technicians, and pharmacists. 

AMREF’s training takes place in communities, health centers, and hospitals in six African countries, as well as in AMREF’s International Training Center in Nairobi and satellite training centers in Tanzania and Uganda.

Established in 1973, the International Training Center in Nairobi provides a host of training courses and emphasizes continuing education for all rural health workers.

One of AMREF’s most notable award-winning training programs is an innovative eLearning program that helps upgrade the skills of 20,000 nurses in Kenya. In partnership with the Ugandan government, this program is currently being modified to upgrade the skills of midwives within the country. It is hoped that this program will be replicated in even more African countries suffering from similar health worker shortages.

>> Click here to see the work of an AMREF-trained health worker in Ethiopia.

What better way to show your mother, your wife, or someone else close to you how special she is than by making a gift in her honor - to help AMREF save women’s lives in Africa.

Better health for mothers and families
$1,500 can secure a safe water supply for a community. A clean water supply reduces diarrhea-related deaths of infants by 25%. Clean water also helps prevent the spread of cholera, typhoid, malaria, yellow fever and other water-related diseases. Donate now
‪$250 can provide basic training for a community midwife. AMREF trains community midwives on how to recognize and treat common illnesses, when to refer women to the hospital during complicated births, and the importance of referring all HIV-positive mothers to hospitals. An AMREF-trained midwife saves the lives of women and their newborns. Donate now
$100 can help prevent malaria. AMREF provides insecticide treated mosquito nets to protect mothers and children from malaria. By donating $100, you can protect 10 families. Donate now
$75 can supply a midwife with a bicycle. Community midwives are usually trained volunteers who often work in remote, very rural settings. By donating $60 you can help a midwife to travel further and save more mothers. Donate now
$20 can purchase the supplies for two “mama kits”. Mama kits are used by community midwives. They include surgical masks, gloves and basic supplies to ensure good prenatal care for mothers and a safe labor and delivery. Donate now

Make your gift securely online or over the phone at 212-768-2440.   

AMREF USA staff

Lisa Meadowcroft, Executive Director

Bernhard Bauer, PhD, Director, Individual Giving & Communications

David A. Chase, Grants Manager

Emily Correale, Development Specialist

Sam Hindels, Development & Communications Manager

Philip M. Perlah, Director, Finance

Rosaline Sheriff, Administrative Assistant

William J. Yaggy, Director of Programs

Founder
   Thomas D. Rees, MD, Advisory Board Member & Chairman    Emeritus

Board of Directors
   Ned W. Bandler 
   Rodney Davis, MD, FACS
   Pamela I. Ellsworth, MD 
   Hensley Evans
   Christine L. Grogan
   Vicky Obst Hausman, Secretary
   Carol Jenkins, Chair
   Stephen C. Joseph, MD
   Robert W.C. Lilley
   William H. MacArthur, Vice Chair
   Inosi M. Nyatta
   Nyagaka Ongeri
   Joseph E. Pegues, Jr.
   Mary Jane Potter
   Sarah Elizabeth Rees
   Timothy S. Wilson, Treasurer
   Lisa K. Meadowcroft, Executive Director, Ex-Officio
   Teguest Guerma, Director General, Ex-Officio

 Advisory Board
   Michael H. Alderman, MD
   Bruce Bodner
   George F. Brown, MD, MPH
   David W. Furnas, MD
   Donald S. Rice, Esq

  Honorary Member
   William L. Bernhard

Though Uganda’s health services are weak, joint efforts by the Ministry of Health and organizations such as AMREF have improved overall access to better healthcare for its people.

Today, 72% of the population lives within 5km of a health facility – up from 49% five years ago.

Working with district health councils and health care institutions, AMREF is improving the knowledge and skills of local communities and health professionals through training and partnering – targeting community health workers, water committees and technicians, women’s groups, and community leaders.

Major health challenges

Communicable diseases such as malaria are the leading cause of death and illness in Uganda, and women and children are worst affected. AIDS causes most adult deaths and is the main reason for the decline in life expectancy. Today, an estimated 1 million adults (57% of them women) and 187,000 children are HIV positive. HIV also fuels the TB epidemic – 50% of HIV-positive people also have TB, and 30% of them will eventually die as a result.

Rural areas have least access to basic health care, safe water, and sanitation. Coupled with poor hygiene, this creates high rates of diarrheal disease and death in children.

Distance and cost also play their part in Uganda’s health crisis – 13% of people do not seek medical attention because they can’t afford it or can’t reach clinics. Trained health workers are scarce in rural areas – some districts have as little as 26% of the professional medical staff they need.

Districts in the north and east of Uganda are consistently worse off than those in other regions, largely as a result of conflict and insecurity.

The scope of our work in Uganda

• Providing high-quality training courses and teaching materials for the next generation of primary health workers, nurses, and laboratory staff
• Promoting community-based care for orphans affected by HIV/AIDS in the Luwero district
• Vaccinating children and providing clean water and sanitation in IDP camps in northern Uganda
• Preventing and managing HIV, TB, malaria, and water-borne diseases in Soroti district by strengthening health care systems. This involves training formal and community health workers, raising community awareness, and renovating and equipping health centers
• Increasing self-esteem among young people and empowering them to seek and demand access to health services
• Partnering with the Guardian newspaper and Barclays to transform people's lives in Katine, in one of the poorest districts in Uganda
• The Kawempe community health development project, in Uganda's capital, works to provide vocational training, business skills, counseling, and support to those people living in the Kawempe slum.

<< Back to Where we work

Tuberculosis (TB) is the second biggest killer around the world today. One third of the world’s total population is infected by Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, with no symptoms of disease; and approximately 5-10% of these will develop active disease in their lifetimes. In 2010 alone, there were 9.4 million new cases of TB and 1.7 million deaths, including 380,000 deaths of people with HIV co-infection (2010 WHO). The number of new cases is estimated at 2.3 million and will cause about 254,000 deaths.

World TB Day is commemorated every year on March 24th to focus the world’s attention on the disease. It provides an opportunity for people across the globe to unite in the fight against TB, raise awareness about TB-related challenges and solutions, and to support worldwide TB control efforts.

As Africa’s leading health development organisation, AMREF is working with governments, civil society organisations (CSOs), communities and United Nations agencies to contribute to a world free of TB. AMREF joins the global Stop TB Partnership in accepting the slogan “Stop TB in my lifetime”.

AMREF is working with the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop more efficient and effective ways of delivering TB services, capitalising on existing successful programmes by developing an integrated model of HIV and TB programs. Integrated approaches aim at providing all services at one stop- increasing coverage, reducing the number of visits and maximizing the use of the limited human and financial resources. The one-stop approach also leads to patient satisfaction and promotes compliance to treatment of both TB and HIV.

AMREF also advocates for early case detection and treatment, with user-friendly, quick and affordable point-of-care diagnostic tools. The fight to ‘Stop TB in my lifetime’will be successful if national, provincial, district, indigenous and international organizations, the UN and partners from all sectors of society join hands and use available resources to find cheaper and effective modes of service delivery. These activities cannot be realized without adequate and sustained funding.

AMREF and many CSOs are recipients of Global Fund grants that have immensely supported TB control in Africa. AMREF has used these funds to build programme capacity, resulting in increased case notification, effective treatment and coordinated defaulter tracing. The current global financial crisis and the inability of the Global Fund to disburse grants poses a grave risk to the gains made in TB control in Africa. AMREF therefore calls for development of sustainable funding mechanisms for TB in Africa.

Abebe Aberra
AMREF Program Leader, HIV/AIDS/TB

>> Click to read more about AMREF's TB work

March 22 is World Water Day, a day established by the United Nations to look at water issues around the world. At AMREF we use this day to raise awareness of the fact that 11% of the world's population does not have safe water to drink and that this, coupled with poor sanitation, results in 4,000 children dying every day. We draw attention to something most of us take for granted, even though it is absolutely fundamental to our daily lives – safe water. There are nearly one billion people worldwide without access to clean water.

The theme of the World Water Day this year is Water and Food Security. Food and water are essential elements that all human beings must have access to in order to live. Access to food that is sufficient, nutritionally adequate and safe as well as water that is ample, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable are fundamental human rights that for many people remain a promise unfulfilled. Globally, some estimated 2.6 billion people do not use improved sanitation facilities (WHO, UNICEF, 2010) and around 925 million people worldwide are chronically undernourished (FAO, 2010).

Lack of safe drinking water and sanitation impact negatively on access to proper nutrition and food security. Open defecation, poor sanitation facilities and improper waste disposal contaminate food in many communities in Africa. At the same time, unsafe drinking water and poor hygiene frequently lead to increases in diarrheal diseases, rendering efforts to improve nutrition ineffective.  Unless urgent and concerted action is taken, the situation is likely to get worse in years ahead as populations increase and water sources get scarcer. To meet the dietary demands of a growing world population, projected to reach 9 billion by 2050, world food production would need to increase by 70% (FAO, 2009). A great deal of the population growth will take place in urban areas, leading to a substantial increase in urban food demand, and requiring safe and productive management of increased volumes of organic waste, human excreta and wastewater.

Ensuring that people have access to adequate nutrient-rich food and safe water is essential for protecting the safety, health and well-being of everyone, especially expectant mothers and children. Not only is water necessary to sustain life, but proper nutrition is also required to ensure optimal health. Consumption of a wide variety of foods, with adequate vitamin and mineral intake, is the basis of a healthy diet. Children under the age of five are most vulnerable to malnutrition. Malnutrition causes weakness and fatigue, inhibits mental and physical development, particularly in children (where it also causes stunting), and increases susceptibility to other fatal diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhoea.

But even when food consumption is sufficient, diarrheal diseases inhibit nutrient absorption, which can lead to malnutrition.  That is why AMREF on this World Water Day joins the world in advocating for safe water and sanitation for all to ensure lasting health change in Africa.  Reductions in diarrheal diseases can be achieved by providing improved sanitation and water supply, which in turn can prevent long-term illness and save at least 860,000 children from dying of malnutrition each year.

Achieving sustainable increases in food production to alleviate poverty and eradiate hunger requires sound management of critical inputs like water and land, making linkages between agriculture, food security, health, water management, and safe drinking water programmes essential. To this end, AMREF calls for the integration of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programming with child survival interventions to reduce the number of child deaths caused by diarrheal diseases. We also advocate for initiatives to increase awareness of the importance of simple hand washing, an element of hygiene programming that can reduce the incidence of childhood diseases by approximately 45%.

  >> Read more about our work creating clean water sources

  >> Or, see how one community benefitted

	Clinton Global Initiative Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges. At its Annual Meeting and at events throughout the year, CGI gathers government officials, business leaders, and nonprofit directors from all over the world, creating opportunities for them to collaborate, share ideas, and forge partnerships that enhance their work.
	CORE Group CORE Group's mission is to generate collaborative action and learning to improve and expand community-focused public health practices for underserved populations around the world.
	Frontline Health Workers Coalition The Coalition is a dynamic and influential coalition working together to urge greater and more strategic U.S. investment in frontline health workers in the developing world as the most cost-effective way to save lives and foster a healthier, safer and more prosperous world.
	Global Health Council The Council works to ensure that all who strive for improvement and equity in global health have the information and resources they need to succeed.
	Global Health Initiative A coalition of organizations focused on a wide expanse of global health issues: HIV/AIDS & infectious diseases, child health, maternal health, sexual & reproductive health & rights, health workforce, neglected diseases, & comprehensive primary healthcare. By coming together and coordinating our advocacy efforts we hope to present a progressive vision of what the next phase of US global health support could look like.
	The Global Health Workforce Alliance The Global Health Workforce Alliance was created as a common platform for action to address the Human Resource for Health crisis. The Alliance is a partnership of national governments, civil society, international agencies, finance institutions, researchers, educators and professional associations dedicated to identifying, implementing and advocating for solutions.
	Global Impact Global Impact is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to assuring help for the world’s most vulnerable people.
	Inside NGO Inside NGO builds upon 30 years of peer exchange, training and advocacy among NGO finance, grants and human resource staff and leaders in the international relief and development sector.
	InterAction: A United Voice for Global Change Global Impact is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to assuring help for the world’s most vulnerable people.
	NGO Commitee on UNICEF The NGO Committee on UNICEF brings together non-governmental organizations to partner with UNICEF in promoting the rights and wellbeing of the world's children.
	Non Profit Coordinating Committee The Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc., (NPCC) is the voice and information source for New York nonprofits. Established in 1984, NPCC informs and connects nonprofit leaders, saves nonprofits money, and strengthens the nonprofit sector’s relations with government.
	Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health is a new global health partnership launched in September 2005 to accelerate efforts towards achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5. The Partnership aim is to intensify and harmonize national, regional and global action to improve maternal, newborn and child health.
	Physicians for Human Rights Physicians for Human Rights mobilizes health professionals to advance health, dignity, and justice, and promotes the right to health for all. Harnessing the specialized skills, rigor, and passion of doctors, nurses, public health specialists, and scientists, PHR investigates human rights abuses and works to stop them.
	Water advocates Water Advocates is the first US-based nonprofit organization dedicated solely to increasing American support for worldwide access to safe, affordable, and sustainable supplies of drinking water and adequate sanitation.
	The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood is an international coalition of individuals and organizations formed to promote increased public awareness of the need to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for all women and newborns in the developing, as well as, developed countries.
	U.S. Global Leadership Coalition The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) is a broad-based influential network of 400 businesses and NGOs; national security and foreign policy experts; and business, faith-based, academic and community leaders in all 50 states who support a smart power approach of elevating diplomacy and development alongside defense in order to build a better, safer world.
	Women Deliver Women Deliver is a global advocacy organization bringing together voices from around the world to call for action against maternal death.

 << Back to Our partners

On March 8, 2012, International Women’s Day, AMREF USA held a conference call with Executive Director Lisa Meadowcroft and Deputy Country Director for AMREF Kenya, Dr. Meshack Ndirangu. They provided AMREF USA supporters with an update on the effects of the drought and on our current work in Kenya. The call focused mainly on two USAID-supported initiatives of AMREF’s – the recently completed Busia Child Survival Project and an APHIAplus program, started in 2011 in the Great Rift Valley region of Kenya.

Dr. Ndirangu’s update on AMREF Kenya’s drought response was as follows: Since the middle of last year, we have been supporting 10 affected counties within Kenya alone – in addition to our ongoing, long-term health development work in the country. To date, 1.7 million people have benefited from nutritional supplements, water and increased access to medical services provided by AMREF. We expect to reach an additional 1.2 million people in 2012.

He then discussed the extraordinary impact the US-funded Busia Project had – and is continuing to have – on this community in Western Kenya. Before the start of the project,  the infant and child mortality rate in the district was alarmingly high; access to quality health services was poor; and there was little support for HIV/AIDS counseling. The statistics speak for themselves:

• The percentage of women delivering in health facilities increased from 20% to 53%;
• Before, half of pregnant women were counseled for HIV; now more than 85% seek counseling;
• Mothers who exclusively breastfed after birth increased from 11% to 53%. 

In their reports, Ms. Meadowcroft and Dr. Ndirangu spoke at length about how both Busia and APHIAplus epitomize what  AMREF does so well – working with both the formal health system and communities to strengthen health services and systems. In Busia, hospital staff received technical training, and more than 900 community health workers were trained - volunteers who learn a variety of skills – from identifying birthing complications to nutritional counseling.

With programs like these, AMREF is able to help equip a community with the tools it needs to move forward independently and sustainably – escaping poverty through better health .

To listen to a recording of the phone briefing, click here

Or, to read more about AMREF’s work in Kenya, here

March 8th, 2012 - Field Call from Kenya with Dr. Meshack Ndirangu - Read about and listen to the event here

January 12th, 2012 - Briefing Call with Dr. Peter Ngatia - Read about and listen to the event here

2011

October 27th, 2011 - Flying Doctors event in New York City with Dr. Asrat Mengiste - Read about the event and view photos here 

April 14th, 2011 - HEALTHYGIRLSANDWOMEN=HEALTHYAFRICA - Read about the event and view photos here

January 12th, 2011 - AMREF event in San Francisco with Dr. Dean & Anne Ornish Read about the event and view photos here

2010

November 9th, 2010 - AMREF event in New York City with Dr. Peter Ngatia Read about the event and view photos here

April 14th, 2010 - HEALTHYGIRLSANDWOMEN=HEALTHYAFRICA - Read about the event and view photos here

AMREF USA

Annual Reports	Audited Financial Statements	IRS Form 990
	Audited Financials Fiscal 2011
Annual Report 2010	Audited Financials Fiscal 2010	IRS Form 990 Fiscal 2010
Annual Report 2009	Audited Financials Fiscal 2009	IRS Form 990 Fiscal 2009