Bright star maternity bag Project

We are thrilled to introduce you to our new local partner: Bright Star Maternity Bag Project! We will be sharing more details about this project with you over the coming weeks, starting with an overview of the project, followed by introductions, interviews, and more in-depth details. Here is the story of how the maternity bags came to be, written by the local team.

MATERNITY BAG VISION
“Our vision is to help our people who are in hiding and constant on the run. We have been living with fear since civil war begins in Burma over 70 years. During this time many women and even unborn children are suffering the pain and even death. Therefore, with this maternity bag can help some families and encourage better health assistant during giving birth. We would like to see less mother and baby mortality and safe birthing. Some maternity bags are delivered to [Karen Department of Health & Welfare] KDHW health center and clinics so encourage pregnant women to seek advice from health professional and necessary health information for both baby and mother. Most of all we would like to share love and care to newly born baby and smile to the happy parents. We would like to support mothers and babies during this time of struggle and suffering in Burma [Myanmar]. We include the booklet with some baby lullaby, poem, short story and health information. This will help and interact between the mother or father and baby relationship. Dr. Reme (Free Burma Rangers), “ The health of women and pregnancy can often be overlooked. The Maternity Bag/Kit provides products specifically for women who are pregnant and have young infants. These items will cover hygienic needs and allow women a measure of dignity in the midst of chaos.”

MATERNITY BAG INSIGHT
"February 2021, a year ago, after the coup in Burma, many people had to flee – from towns and cities, but also in rural areas of the Myanmar army launched air and land attacks. Among them were some pregnant women – many of whom had nothing to help during the birth. I saw the Thai Karen Group’s photo of a newborn baby in the jungle wrapped up with the father’s old piece of longyi. Then it hurt me. Also, another pregnant woman delivered a baby on the bank of the Salween River, and could not cross to Thailand. She then died after birth with complications. This made me sad. I had an idea of making clothes for wrapping newborn babies. I started with making mask-strings to sell them after the sale we can buy fabric and sew them up for the baby. I thank my Karen friend Cho Lay for her help. But it was taking so long to sell them.

I then prayed for more ideas. I could not sleep at night. I then remember when we lived in the UK, most pregnant women prepare a hospital bag for delivery. After that, I came up with lists and typed them down. In the morning, I emailed the lists to [medical staff at a local non-profit] who said that was a good idea. They helped me [write up a short proposal and fund it through donors in the US].

The Maternity Bag project started with 100 bags in June to September [2021]. We made turmeric powder by hand, and sew, wash, iron the baby wraps. It’s time consuming at first.

After we had finished the maternity bags, and sent them out, it was hard for transportation during raining season. The pandemic and the fighting also didn’t make it easy for distribution. However, we received good feedback.

Then in October 2021 to January 2022 we made another 110 bags. Again from February to May 2022 we made 164 bags for Karenni IDPs*, and also Karen IDP* women and babies. Also, we produced a booklet in Karen. We are planning to make it to local languages and Burmese for the next distribution."

Written by Naw Bellay Htoo South


*IDP: Internally Displaced People