For children to be born healthy

By Nguyen Tien, Mai Chau ADP, Hoa Binh province

Almost all women living in the mountainous areas of Bui Thi Thuan would work on the farm from dawn to dusk, even with a nearly full term pregnancy.

But now, their husbands help with heavy farming work so that the women can stay at home and care for herself and her unborn.

“I’ve learnt how to keep food fresh and clean, and how to cook nutritious meals,” says Thuan.

Thuan is a pregnant woman living in mountainous Mai Chau district in Hoa Binh province. She has been participating in the Reproductive Health Care Club, which was jointly facilitated by World Vision and the local Development of Health, since late 2014.

Through various club activities on nutrition, breast-feeding classes and consulting sessions, the local women at child-bearing age learn how to take care of themselves before, during and after their pregnancy.

“It is my first-time pregnancy. I never knew that I should be vaccinated when carrying a baby. Now I know the importance of vaccination and which medicine I should take to keep my baby and I healthy”, says Xa Thi Thuong, another Repreductive Health Care Club’s member.

“With all women in the district coming from ethnic minorities, it’s hard to change their customs such as eating rice with only salt during their first two months of pregnancy,” says Xa Thi Hue, a staff at the local health station. “However, after six months running the club, they’ve started to eat more nutritious food with the health care team periodically visiting them at their home,” she continues.

“Before, many local women only came to the health clinic when they were beginning their labour,” says Ly Van Thanh, head of Tan Mai commune health station. “It resulted in the high number of malnourished children or children with birth defects.”

“Now, all pregnant women in the commune go to the health station for prenatal check-up every three months,” continues he. “By helping the mothers take care of themselves, we hope that our coming children will be born healthy."

So far, World Vision has set up eight Reproductive Health Care Clubs in Mai Chau province with nearly 300 women benefiting from the clubs’ interventions.