ST Mary’s College, Ipswich, teamed up with the Zonta Club of West Moreton to provide 600 birthing kits to women in Madagascar.
Each birthing kit consists of a plastic sheet for the mother to lie on; a piece of soap; two gloves; three gauze squares; three cord ties (string) and a sterile scalpel blade, all contained in a small press seal plastic bag.
It was the fifth year the Zonta Club has undertaken the United Nations project but a first for St Mary’s.
Year 11 students from St Mary’s Social Justice Committee led several classes through the process of assembling the birthing kits, while others assembled kits with the Zonta Club members.
Zonta Club of West Moreton vice-president Margaret Llewellyn said the Zonta Club’s slogan was “Advancing the Status of Women Everywhere” and by providing birthing kits to women in third world countries, such as Madagascar, it allowed those women to have a clean, safe birth and can ultimately save the child’s life.
“It’s a wonderful project,” she said.
Mrs Llewellyn said the new partnership came about through the initiative of St Mary’s College principal Deidre Anderson.
“Miss Anderson, as part of our Zonta Club, wanted the girls to be able to make a difference during Mercy Week at the college, and since it is a project Zonta already does, we joined forces,” she said.
Miss Anderson said the idea came about while she was looking for something “hands-on” for students during Mercy Week that would enable them to help the less fortunate.
“Another benefit is that it raises the girls’ awareness of the conditions these women in third world countries live in,” Ms Anderson said.
She said the project also fitted in with the St Mary’s tradition of Mercy and Service and helped build the college’s ties to the community by working closely with the Zonta Club. “As a Catholic Christian community St Mary’s College is always looking for ways to help the less fortunate.
“It was a wonderful day enjoyed by all and St Mary’s College and the Zonta Club of West Moreton hope to work together again next year aiming to double the number of kits assembled,” she said.
