Naomi Beyeler, MPH Candidate
Midwives and doctors provide comprehensive antenatal care services during the mother's groups. For many participants, this is the first time they receive any health care services during pregnancy.
As a summer intern with the Population and Reproductive Health Initiative, I worked with doctors and midwives to develop a community-based maternal health program including a community surveillance system and participatory mother’s groups. The goal of the program is to engage the community, in particular pregnant women, in learning about and creating strategies to improve maternal health. From meeting with groups of women to discuss their health needs, to assisting in the development of a health education curriculum, to participating in the first meetings of the mother’s groups, I was able to contribute to all aspects of program planning and development. Being a part of a participatory planning process and watching a new program come to life was an amazing and rewarding experience.