COFFS Coast community organisations have come together to assemble hundreds of “birthing kits” for women having home births in remote regions of the developing world.
Members of the Zonta Club of Coffs Harbour and the Coffs Harbour Women’s Shed Project Committee came together on Saturday 16 May at the latter’s Gordon Street headquarters.
“To recognise the 20th anniversary of the Birthing Kit Foundation Australia (BKFA), members of Zonta Coffs Harbour and community volunteers met in the Women’s Shed Project headquarters to assemble 400 birthing kits which will provide women in under resourced areas with a clean and safe birth,” local Zonta Club president Jenny Wiseman told News Of The Area.
A birthing kit consists of a plastic sheet, gloves, gauze, soap, string and scalpel contained in a small clip lock bag. BKFA has distributed more than three million kits worldwide over the past two decades.
As a 20-year anniversary celebration, the organisation hopes to have 20,000 kits assembled this month across Australia.
Among the attendees for the Coffs Harbour assembly day were 2025 Zonta Young Women in Leadership Award (YWLA) winner Laura McNeil and finalist Amelie Suokallio, alongside their mothers.
Members of the Coffs Harbour Older Women’s Network and local high school students were among the other contributors.
“Community volunteers who answered the call to assist with the assembly enjoyed the afternoon connecting with each other, knowing that they were doing something worthwhile to assist other women and socialising during a delicious afternoon tea,” Ms Wiseman said.
By Andrea FERRARI
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.