Statistics like these have made maternal health a priority both nationally and locally in Mali. Internationally we have the Millennium Development Goals which also single out maternal health  as an area of urgent need.

In Timbuktu it costs just £1 per woman to make a full antenatal health care programme free  at the point of delivery and yet due to the poverty in Timbuktu finance is still one of the major barriers reported by the health care professionals who work there.

This project links the population of Hay on Wye (about 8500 people) to the health district of Bellafarendi in Timbuktu.( 11 000 people)

We have agreed to make antenatal care free in this district and also implement an innovative programme of population engagement to ensure the services are used. Through training 28 health educators to talk to womens groups, mens groups and the local health board we aim to raise awareness of the signs to look out for in pregnancy and the importance of antenatal care as well as general health advice on hygeine and sexual health/HIV. We have also entered into partnership with Radio Buktu to broadcast a health information programme to the whole of Timbuktu.

Our project will be regularly evaluated and continuing education for our health educators is built in.

Although we will be looking at grants initially to start the project off, over the next two years we aim to develop sustainable funding projects to ensure that the population of bellafarendi continue to benefit for years to come.