Success Stories

Universal Language of Birth

In 2003 I a midwife with 6 years experience educated in Victoria-Australia found myself volunteering my skills and knowledge in Goroka, a central highlands town of Papua New Guinea. This was to become a life changing and inspiring event in my midwifery career as I experienced the art of natural birth in a community which lacked western technology, resources and expertise. Accompanying me on this adventure was a student midwife Nicole who was just as keen to add to her learning experience, birthing practices of another culture. Nicole and I were always on the lookout of experiences on the labour ward which would allow us to care and assist women in labour and Birth. Nicole had a mission to assist in 9 births to make up her student tally and I was ready to take my place as a midwife despite the language and cultural differences. We empowered ourselves with key pidgin words that were frequently used in labour and birth. For instance, we learnt to say “Breath”-“Opens maus pulim win”. Then there was “Push”-“pusim long” or “pusim strong”. Finally there was ”Water”- “Warer”.
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Baby Packs

In 2005 The Highlands Foundation with the help of the local community began to make Mother/Baby Packs to give to the expectant mothers in Papua New Guinea. This project was a very successful and practical one in that it involved the whole community in making a difference in a less fortunate part of our world.
As volunteer midwives, we saw first hand how little mothers had when they gave birth to their babies. In some instances we only had the mothers skirt or lap lap to wrap around the baby when it was born. The baby pack project is a combined effort of mainly women who have knitted, sewed, and shopped to collect the necessary items. (Second hand clean baby outfits are acceptable). However, certain items for the mother need to be purchased new eg. Underwear, sanitary pads, soaps etc.
Once the items are collected and wrapped in the bunny rugs, material bags with handles were sewn to put them in.
In 2005, we were able to make 300 baby/mother packs and take them to Goroka PNG on a shipping container. We had the privilege of handing these packs out in antenatal clinics, labor wards and rural health centers.
The smiles on the mothers faces were priceless as they receive these special gifts. We encourage communities to get involved in this very simple yet effective project which truly makes a positive difference in places like PNG.
What to put in baby packs download here.

Goroka - A medical student's perspective

In January 2005 I arrived in Goroka for a 5-week placement at the Goroka Hospital, in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. I had seen photographs and videos of Goroka town and hospital, but despite this I was not prepared for the shock I experienced when I first looked around. Despite everything I had seen and heard, I never understood any of it in its true context until I was right in the heart of it. Read more...