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The BIG Project

The BIG Project is the Soroptimist project to assist women who are Birthing In The Gambia. (see details given below)

We held an event Tea and Tarts on Saturday July 20th 2013 at 3.30pm to raise money for The Big Project.  (see post in News for details)

We believe that every woman,baby and child has the right to access the high quality, safe and effective healthcare they need, in order to save and improve the quality of their lives… enabling them not only to live, but through empowerment and education to have the opportunity to lead a healthy and productive life.

We are working in partnership with MCAI- Maternal and Childhealth Advocacy International, and we work closelywith the Advanced Life Support Group (a UK charity), the Gambian Government, three UN agencies, local authorities,hospital and community health workers, and the local community.  This ensures that our projects have local ownership and are sustainable.

Over 60% of the 1.7 million population in The Gambia in West Africa (formerly the centre of the UK slave trade), live in extreme poverty.  Healthcare facilities are sparse and often not fit for purpose.  Basic medicines, medical devices and equipment are unavailable.  access to medical care is extremely limited especially in rural areas.  The risk of a pregnant woman or girl dying from complications of her pregnancy or giving birth to her baby is staggering. There are only about 5 trained midwives for every 1,000 births and there is very little training in emergency care.  Many women die due to lack of appropriate and timely treatment.

Soroptimists are helping with training, renovations,equipment and an ambulance service.  Thanks to The BIG Project more women can now receive the care they and their babies need.

 £10  can provide a health worker with vital resuscitation equipment

£25  can buy an emergency medical pack for a Traditional Birth Attendant

£100  can buy training manuals for five nurses

£200  can pay for the training for a doctor or nurse in emergency healthcare

£350 can enable an emergency ambulance service to function for a month

£600 can train five Traditional Birth Attendants to resuscitate babies, recognise emergency situations and know when to refer a woman to hospital.

£1500  can train ten cleaners and provide equipment to improve hospital hygiene standards

£3000  can pay for five Community Health Nurse Kits

£5000  can pay for the refurbishment of a maternity ward