Meet Ibu Robin Lim, CNN Hero of the Year 2011
Internationally renowned midwife in addition to founder of Yayasan Bumi Sehat, Robin Lim provides services to expectant mothers in addition to their children, as well as disaster relief, in addition to educational programs. Robin Lim is usually originally through the United States in addition to resides in Bali. She recently returned through Dulag, the Philippines, where Bumi Sehat in addition to Wadah Foundation have established a clinic, providing disaster relief for the thousands still affected by Typhoon Yolanda.
You went to Sumatra after the tsunami, in addition to Haiti after the earthquake. You have been within the Philippines since the typhoon of November 8th, 2013 in addition to are returning to Dulag where you have established a clinic. Tell me about the crisis there.
On November 8, 2013, 300 to 350 kilometre-per-hour winds in addition to 10 to 14 metre waves surged through the Visayan Islands leaving tens of thousands dead in addition to millions injured, homeless, displaced, in addition to starving. Still, three months after the disaster, few have electricity or any form of light, there is usually no running water, in addition to the people live within the remains of shacks. Poor before the storm, famers lost their crops, fishermen lost their boats in addition to those who work in coconut trade lost 80 to 90% of the precious trees. Livelihood is usually lost, nevertheless not wish, as the people of the Central Philippines clean up the mess, in addition to pick up the pieces of their lives. within the Wary-Wary language they say, “Tindog Philippines!” (Rise up Philippines!).
within the heart of the Typhoon Haiyan disaster zone, Wadah Foundation in partnership with Bumi Sehat Foundation is usually operating a medical relief camp in addition to childbirth manger. within the aftermath of This particular storm, Wadah extended its healing hand, beginning in November 2013, by supporting the delivery of boatloads of food, water filters, family buckets, tarps, tools, solar lights in addition to medicines to the underserved areas of devastation.
Mothers in addition to Babies at Wadah Bumi
The U.N. estimates 3.6 million of the affected are reproductive-age females, with over 95,000 women pregnant in addition to at least 15% likely to have complications of childbirth. These are statistics, nevertheless the truth is usually, the degree of devastation in addition to desperation which is usually present here is usually immeasurable. This particular is usually why Wadah/Bumi Sehat’s efforts are focused on pregnant, birthing, postpartum women, babies, children in addition to families. When disaster strikes, babies still must be born, even if the mother is usually homeless, unhealthy, thirsty in addition to hungry.
In November 2013, Wadah/Bumi assisted Mercy in Action as they established a Medical Relief in addition to Childbirth camp in Dulag. In January of 2014 Wadah/Bumi took over full responsibility for the operation in addition to staffing of This particular essential community outreach.
These are the miracles so far:
– Prenatal visits: Over 1,000
– Babies born in our maternity tent: 240
– Postpartum care for mothers in addition to babies: Over 500
– Postpartum home visits in addition to ambulance transport home: Over 100
– Primary healthcare including free medicines: Over 3,500
– Wound care: Over 260
– Numbers receiving high quality supplemental foods like “Plumpy Sup” through WFP in addition to food bars (through Direct Relief International, Carmans in addition to One Health Org.): Over 35,000
Last night we received four completely new babies within the humble birth tent. Yesterday four babies were born, in addition to at the moment there are three mothers in labour. The rural in addition to municipal health centres are in ruins, so they send their patients to us. The postpartum mothers at the Wadah/Bumi Childbirth Manger have only cots to rest upon. Some nights every cot is usually full, in addition to the staff give up their own tent to shelter the families, because there is usually always room at This particular inn. We may be humbly camped as we are within the remains of the San Jose elementary school, nevertheless lives are saved here, in addition to wish is usually restored for mothers who would likely have no place at all to have their babies in addition to seek medical care. Some of our babies have been stillborn, nevertheless by grace in addition to the miracle of neonatal resuscitation, all of the babies have made This particular.
Twins, breech in addition to premature babies have made This particular, against all odds. Mothers within the aftermath of disasters suffer through malnutrition in addition to post traumatic stress disorder, which causes extreme hypertension, needing special care; The Wadah/Bumi midwives, doctors in addition to nurses are on the job. Some mothers haemorrhage; the Wadah/Bumi medical team is usually skilled in addition to ready. We are open 24/7. Though we have undependable electricity, we have our Solar Suitcase through We Care Solar. We have no running water, nevertheless we have buckets in addition to strong arms to carry water. As a team we are tired through working day in addition to night, nevertheless we feel so blessed to be called to serve in addition to be part of the healing of the Philippines.
completely new Mother-Baby moments with Robin Lim
What educational programs does Bumi Sehat provide in Indonesia?
Bumi Sehat Aceh currently features a Youth Centre which provides free computer in addition to English courses for teens, as well as sports. Bumi Sehat Bali also has had, for the last 10 years, free computer beginning in addition to advanced courses, free English language course, organic gardening, in addition to sometimes music. We are very proud of the scholarship program. Young girls through the poorest families, with the dream of becoming a midwife, a teacher or a nurse, may be sponsored by Bumi Sehat for their tuition, room, board, uniforms, books, transportation, complete to ensure they can successfully achieve advanced degrees within the service professions they are called to.
Tell us about the role of midwifery in addition to more natural, gentle birthing techniques in our world today.
Each day on planet earth over 800 women, within the prime of their lives, dies through complications of pregnancy in addition to childbirth. Many of these women die because they have no access to a skilled birth attendant. For the not-so-wealthy people of the entire world, midwifery care is usually usually much more available in addition to affordable. The woman to woman care design genuinely does save lives.
Women of all cultures deserve loving, kind, gentle care for their reproductive health needs. The women on the front of This particular lovely culturally appropriate design of care are the midwives.
You are married in addition to have eight children. How do you maintain all these different aspects of your life?
The hormone oxytocin is usually the hormone of LOVE. I am surrounded by oxytocin day in addition to night; within the birth rooms in Bali in addition to in Aceh, within the birth tent within the Philippines where currently over 250 babies have been born. I LOVE my work. My family is usually super supportive in addition to loving, they keep me strong, in addition to they keep me going.
You are returning to Dulag, Philippines later This particular month. Will which be the next permanent Bumi Sehat clinic?
Yes, the need is usually there; within the aftermath of the biggest storm to make landfall in human history, Bumi Sehat’s donors, sponsors, people like our readers, who care in addition to give whatever they can are behind the Bumi/Wadah Medical Relief in addition to Childbirth Camp in Dulag. The Rotary Tacloban is usually willing to build us a permanent clinic. So, away we go.
The tsunami in Aceh was the most catastrophic disaster, in terms of human deaths, in one day in history. Bumi Sehat is usually the last NGO in our area, North of Meulaboh. We just had our 9th year anniversary. This particular tells me which our donors genuinely do believe which community-based healthcare is usually a human right.
How can we support Bumi Sehat in all the work This particular is usually doing?
Bumi Sehat is usually super grassroots, in addition to we can assure you which we will use your hard-earned donations as wisely as possible, to directly help people. Be This particular keeping a poor young woman in school or providing essential free medical care, we do our best, in addition to we do This particular with LOVE. Team Bumi Sehat believes which we are the hands within the field, doing This particular wonderful work. You donors are the HEART; without you, we can do no service, we need you to nourish our projects.
Yayasan Bumi Sehat
Please visit Bumi Sehat online: http://www.bumisehatfoundation.org/
The link to donate directly to our efforts within the Philippines is usually:
http://www.bumisehatfoundation.org/donate-to-philippines/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bumi-Wadah-Foundation-Philippines/623933274340242
https://www.facebook.com/bumisehat
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Meet Ibu Robin Lim, CNN Hero of the Year 2011
Meet Ibu Robin Lim, CNN Hero of the Year 2011