Let’s visit some new mothers.
Hosanna, Helen and Glory: Their babies are Etidot, Papa and Blessed (L to R).

They live in Nigeria. They are sitting outside the Health Centre which was started by some religious sisters called the Medical Missionaries of Mary.

Helping new mothers
Now the centre is part of a health project run by Nigerians. The project has two teams. One team is at the Health Centre and the other team travels out to the villages in a pick-up truck.

There are daily clinics, looking after mothers who are expecting babies or who have just had babies. Many lives have been saved.

The mothers in the picture attend lessons at the Health Centre to teach them how to keep healthy and keep their babies healthy.

Dangers of giving birth
Mothers can sometimes become ill when they are expecting a baby. In the United Kingdom there are many doctors and hospitals but in poor countries there may not be a doctor nearby.

This means that childbirth can be a dangerous time for mothers. Goal 5 aims to help mothers to give birth to their babies safely.

CAFOD has supported work at the health centre and in the local area. It has helped to train health visitors. It has also helped villagers to dig bore holes for clean water so that they will not become ill by drinking dirty water.

FACT: In the developing countries, one mother in every 48 is in danger of dying whilst giving birth.

Photography: Jon Spaull