Childbirth is one of the most beautiful creations of the universe, and it is still considered a godly gift for which every woman yearns. The ugly truth according to the WHO, about a thousand women in the world die from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, everyday. In developing countries, common complications such as obstruction, preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy) or excessive bleeding can kill the mother, the child, or even both.
In Indonesia, the alarming mortality rates of women and babies in Indonesia is leaving everyone grief struck. The maternal mortality rate is 228 per 100,000 live births, with infant mortality at 27 per 1,000 births, which is one of the highest in Asian nations. In Bali itself, the underlying problem for this issue is the extensive tourism which has led to high cost of living. The basic necessities of life have become so expensive that the locals tend to compromise on keeping babies, resulting in major health concerns.
Bumi Sehat Foundation International is one non-profit organisations focusing on this issue. They believe that every individual has the right to access quality healthcare where hygienic and culturally appropriate births are practiced. To sustain this goal, they provide general health services, emergency care, prenatal, postpartum and birth services, and breastfeeding support; in addition, healthcare and youth education, environmental and disaster relief programs.
Their ideology is very strong, wherein each human being is an essential societal component of peace. They care for the smallest citizens on earth, the babies, thus creating peace within the mother, baby and the family one at a time. It is a branch which is slowly but progressively growing. Bumi Sehat Foundation International’s mission is to reduce maternal and child morbidity and mortality as well as to support the health and wise development of communities. It is devotedly working in partnership with communities to improve quality of life.
Back in 1995, Bumi Sehat Foundation International’s founder, Robin Lim, began providing health services free of charge for pregnant women and children under the age of five in the Ubud. Today, Bumi Sehat Foundation International operates two Community Health Education and Childbirth Centres, one in Bali and another in post-tsunami Aceh. Not just restricting to provide health services, this foundation has launched many other welfare programs as well. Education through their Youth Centres, elderly wellness services, scholarship programs for future midwives, disaster relief programs are some of the programs which has been launched successfully. The last year statistics show that more than 600 new-borns peacefully into this world. It is indeed a great accomplishment.
The first Bumi Sehat Foundation International’s clinic is located in the village of Nyuh Kuning, just outside Ubud. This Community Health Clinic has two birthing rooms, a postpartum recovery area, and three general health treatment areas. They provide weekly check-ups, ongoing birth services, and 24-hour a day emergency health services. The major investment has been a fully equipped ambulance which is essential for transporting emergencies that occur in birth. The ambulance is also employed for hospital transport of motorbike accident victims, sick children or the elderly. Their Community Health Clinic conducts approximately 20,000 consultations and more than 500 births per year. A new state of the art clinic has been inaugurated in October 2016. This clinic is designed to be more than three times the size of the current clinic. The design is in concurrence to the way that midwives, doctors and nurses practice. Owing to the volatility of the region, it is earthquake resistant as well.
The team at Bumi Sehat is extremely professional. Currently they employ more than 80 full-time members which most of whom are internationally recognized midwives, who bring the new-borns to this world with utmost dedication, love and safety. The Clinics are open 24 hours a day and staffed with midwives, doctors, nurses and international volunteers from around the world. A professional office staff works behind the scenes to manage the organization’s finances to ensure responsible accounting and donation allocation.
Bumi Sehat Foundation International has generous local and international supporters. Some caring organisations and wide hearted individuals donate generously for this noble cause. Apart from just financial contributions, each of these involved organisations and individuals have walked the extra miles to create greater awareness to improve the quality of life for babies, mothers, families and communities.
We can also become a part of this team. Our continuous support and generous donation means a lot for the life of this organisation. Donation doesn’t always come in form of cash, but can also be items for hospital needs (beds, neonatal supplies, vitamins and supplements, and general office equipment). If you want to get actively involved, by all means enrol as a volunteer in their ongoing programmes. But more than that, at least you can always give a hand in spreading the word on social media. Any contribution we make goes a long way in nurturing the roots of this organisation.
“We can’t help everyone, but everyone can definitely help someone”.
How can you help…?
Bumi Sehat Foundation International
T : +62 361 970002
A : Banjar Nyuh Kuning, Ubud
W : www.bumisehatfoundation.org
