About
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Blandine Sandwidi,
Founder, Women's Healthcare Initiative Foundation
A Message from Blandine Sandwidi, Founder, Women's Healthcare Initiative Foundation
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Today, I come to you with an urgent and heartfelt plea—to support the establishment of a transformative community Health Center in Burkina Faso. This endeavor is not just a vision; it's a critical necessity, and your involvement is crucial.
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Burkina Faso, situated in West Africa, faces a myriad of challenges—limited healthcare access, the haunting reality of female genital mutilation, forced marriages, and deeply rooted gender inequality. Over 45% of the population lives in the grip of extreme poverty, intensifying the vulnerabilities faced by women and children.
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In Burkina Faso, the maternal mortality rate is a staggering 320 per 100,000 live births, and the infant and child mortality rate stands at 81.2 per 1000 live births. These figures, marked by preventable deaths resulting from infections, gestational diabetes, and hypertension, underscore the pressing need for intervention.
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Our envisioned solution is bold and comprehensive—we aim to establish a community Health Center. This center will serve as a beacon of hope, offering crucial prenatal and postpartum education, comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare, and, if resources permit, intrapartum care and a maternity unit. We're committed to addressing specific needs such as female genital mutilation and implementing a targeted feeding program to combat malnutrition, affecting one-third of children under five.
Most maternal and child deaths are attributed to the lack of education, information, and screenings. Our project is designed to significantly improve the quality of maternal health services, raising awareness among women about best practices in maternal and child health. Educational initiatives will focus primarily on the prenatal and postpartum periods, with potential expansion to intrapartum care and maternity services. Moreover, recognizing the unique challenges faced by women who have undergone female genital mutilation, we will provide dedicated counseling services and conduct educational outreach to shed light on the harmful consequences of this practice. The heartbreaking reality of children dying from hunger or malnutrition in Burkina Faso is alarming, with one-third of all children under five affected. Our project not only aims to decrease infant mortality from diseases like diarrhea, pneumonia, and malaria but also prioritizes addressing malnutrition in young children. We envision a feeding program that ensures no child under the age of five succumbs to malnutrition—a preventable cause of death. To turn this vision into reality, we need to unite financial, technical, and human resources. We've secured a plot of land in a rural area where malnutrition rates are around 16%. Your support will play a pivotal role in implementing an integrated package of prevention and treatment for malnourished children. Every contribution, whether big or small, brings us closer to making a lasting impact. Your involvement is not just a donation; it's a lifeline for those who desperately need it. As we embark on this transformative journey, envision with us the profound impact your support will have on the lives of countless women and children in Burkina Faso. Thank you for considering this heartfelt request. Together, let's build a healthier, more equitable future for the people of Burkina Faso. With immense gratitude, Blandine Sandwidi Founder, Women's Healthcare Initiative Foundation
We believe all women can embrace who they are,
can define their future, and can change the world.
Our Mission
To work with local governments, religious institutions, non-governmental organizations and local, national and international stakeholders to empower women and children in Burkina Faso and to break the cycle of poverty through healthcare teaching, formal education with basic technical skills, and to offer solutions to improve the quality and delivery of healthcare. We will also collaborate with community healthcare centers to promote health education to minorities in the USA.
Our Vision
We envision a nation where women come together to overcome health disparities in Burkina Faso, reduce gender inequality and to create an environment where people live well and have peace of mind.