Mortality rates for women and newborns in the villages of Darfur rank among the highest in the world. In many rural communities, there is simply no access to healthcare of any kind, leaving pregnant women to depend on Traditional Birth Attendants—women who are devoted and willing to help but who have never received proper medical training. These attendants often resort to extremely dangerous practices such as “rope delivery” when a mother experiences obstructed labor. Without basic knowledge of hygiene or safe birthing techniques, both mother and child face tremendous risk. The situation is further complicated by the widespread practice of female genital mutilation, which frequently leads to severe obstruction and makes natural childbirth even more difficult and dangerous.

In response to this crisis, this project seeks to provide a comprehensive fourteen-month training program for village midwives, equipping them with essential skills in hygiene, prenatal and postnatal care, infant health, immunizations, nutrition, and education to combat FGM. These women—who already serve as the heart of maternal care in their communities—will receive the tools and knowledge needed to safely guide mothers through labor and delivery. Each trained midwife is supplied with a full midwifery kit, along with practical resources that dramatically improve their ability to respond in emergencies: a sturdy cross-bred donkey for rapid travel across harsh desert terrain, a solar lantern to allow for safe night deliveries, durable leather sandals to shield their feet from the burning sand, and a mobile phone made useful by the recent expansion of Sudan’s cellular network.

The long-term impact of training these midwives is transformational. With modern birthing techniques and the ability to identify complications early, far fewer mothers will lose their lives in childbirth. Infants will have a greater chance of surviving their first days and years, benefiting from better nutrition, immunization, and early medical intervention. In urgent situations, mothers can be transported quickly to hospitals in the capital, giving them access to life-saving care that was once out of reach. Beyond emergency support, midwives play a vital role as educators, teaching mothers about proper childcare, nutrition, hygiene, and family spacing. As these newly trained midwives return to their villages, they bring with them not only medical skills but hope—hope for safer births, healthier children, and stronger communities for generations to come.