Caps Arrive in Malawi
 |
Alima Mzanga, 22, receives a baby cap for her 4-day-old daughter from U.S. Ambassador Alan Eastham and his wife, Carolyn, at Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. |
The first of 280,000 baby caps knitted and crocheted by Americans taking part in Save the Children's "Caps to the Capital" initiative reached newborns at Malawi's Bwaila Hospital during a March 13th ceremony sponsored by Save the Children. U.S. Ambassador to Malawi Alan Eastham and Malawian Minister of Health Marjorie Ngaunje presented the hats to mothers and newborns inside the hospital after speaking to a crowd of dignitaries and media.
"The event raised the visibility of the newborn in Malawi with the Ministry of Health and with Malawians — in the hospital, reading papers, seeing coverage on television," Save the Children Malawi Deputy Country Director Jeanne Russell said. "Showing that keeping a newborn warm — in this case with a knit cap — is one element of a package of low-cost but evidence based measures for saving newborn lives."
Save the Children Malawi Country Director Paul Mecartney opened the event by recognizing two members of the audience, Grace and her daughter Tumtumfwe, who were featured in last year's State of the World's Mothers 2006: Saving the Lives of Mothers and Newborns report. On the report's cover, a 2.2-lb Tumtumfwe wears a cap while receiving Kangaroo Mother Care.
Nearly 40 people attended the ceremony, including representatives from the Ministry of Health, Save the Children, Ekwendeni Hospital, Mai Mwana, WHO, USAID, the Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM), the International Women's Club, and members of local media.
"Of course everyone thought the caps were adorable, but also the Minister and Ambassador in their speeches were genuinely appreciative of Save the Children's donation," Russell said.
A "torrential downpour" — considered a sign of good fortune in Malawi — lasting the duration of the outdoor program did not dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd, who "ran through the rain and jumped over mud puddles…to deliver the first caps," Save the Children Manager of Special Projects Eileen Burke said.
Inside the maternity and Kangaroo Mother Care wards of Bwaila Hospital, dignitaries and staff gave caps to mothers and newborns, many of whom were born that day. Ngaunje told mothers in Chichewa, the local language, that the caps were gifts from the hearts of women across America, made especially for the babies of Malawi, a touching gesture of care from oceans away.
"The mothers were a bit shy, but they really seemed to appreciate the caps, which are culturally appropriate in Malawi," Russell said, "though many poor families may not be able to afford their own."
Save the Children will distribute 75,000 caps to mothers and newborns in Malawi in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and CHAM. The other 205,000 hats have been delivered to Bangladesh. Save the Children will distribute these caps through ACCESS, a maternal and newborn health project in Sylhet, Bangladesh, funded through USAID.
