Safe Start(Supporting Mothers and Newborns) this is a project born from what I have seen in my own community women giving birth without the basic items they need to stay clean, safe, and comfortable. Many mothers cannot afford baby clothes, sanitary pads, or even proper underwear after delivery. Some are even forced to use old pieces of cloth for themselves and for their newborns, which puts both mother and child at risk of infections and discomfort.
My project provides simple delivery kits that include baby clothes, sanitary pads, underwear, and hygiene items. These kits are small, but they offer mothers something very important like care, dignity, and a safer start for their child.
Alongside the kits, by the help of my project partner who is not Millennium Fellow hold short ANC and PNC sessions where mothers learn how to breastfeed, how often to feed their baby, and how to keep themselves healthy with good nutrition and hygiene. These conversations help them feel more confident and supported at a time when they need it most. Safe Start began when I realized that my original project on gender inequality was too broad. As a public health student and Millennium Fellow working for a better future for vulnerable women, I chose to focus on maternal health so I can bring real and direct change into their lives. I believe that when a mother feels supported and her baby receives a healthier beginning and this healthy start can shape a stronger future for the whole community and even a nation.