Soley Lavi - Jacmel, Haiti
Soley Lavi (pronounced "Soul-Lay Lah-Vey"), means Life's Sun Birth Center.
Earth Birth Centers are country-specific, locally sustained maternity and resource centers staffed by local midwives. Mother Health International helps to physically build structures, develop culturally competent protocols, and work hand in hand with traditional midwives to develop skills and create sustainable methods for obtaining supplies and emergency equipment.
Haiti has the highest rates of infant, under-five and maternal mortality in the Western hemisphere. (UNICEF) 670 pregnant women die per 100,000 live births in Haiti. (UNFPA). Haiti is ranked 36 world wide in infant deaths with 63.7 children dying per 1,000 births; 71.5 die before they reach the age of 5 per 1,000.
For three years, Mother Health International addressed the infant and maternal mortality rates in Haiti by offering antenatal care, nutritional support, labor and birth support, and postpartum care to the women of Jacmel.
The 2010 earthquake and subsequent displacement of families and medical centers made it necessary to establish Soley Lavey as a birth center. Over the past three years many women have been returning to their homes to birth. The local community has decided to refocus efforts in Haiti using Soley Lavi as a resource center and outreach program for the surrounding communities. We have joined an ongoing educational program throughout the country for the matrons, working along side other Haitian healthcare professionals. The birth house in Haiti is now a pregnancy resource center that is dedicated to supporting the work of traditional midwives and home birth midwives in the community through education, tools, supplies and holistic support. At this time of refocus and restructure, we are not accepting volunteers at the Haiti resource center.
Earth Birth Centers are country-specific, locally sustained maternity and resource centers staffed by local midwives. Mother Health International helps to physically build structures, develop culturally competent protocols, and work hand in hand with traditional midwives to develop skills and create sustainable methods for obtaining supplies and emergency equipment.
Haiti has the highest rates of infant, under-five and maternal mortality in the Western hemisphere. (UNICEF) 670 pregnant women die per 100,000 live births in Haiti. (UNFPA). Haiti is ranked 36 world wide in infant deaths with 63.7 children dying per 1,000 births; 71.5 die before they reach the age of 5 per 1,000.
For three years, Mother Health International addressed the infant and maternal mortality rates in Haiti by offering antenatal care, nutritional support, labor and birth support, and postpartum care to the women of Jacmel.
The 2010 earthquake and subsequent displacement of families and medical centers made it necessary to establish Soley Lavey as a birth center. Over the past three years many women have been returning to their homes to birth. The local community has decided to refocus efforts in Haiti using Soley Lavi as a resource center and outreach program for the surrounding communities. We have joined an ongoing educational program throughout the country for the matrons, working along side other Haitian healthcare professionals. The birth house in Haiti is now a pregnancy resource center that is dedicated to supporting the work of traditional midwives and home birth midwives in the community through education, tools, supplies and holistic support. At this time of refocus and restructure, we are not accepting volunteers at the Haiti resource center.
