Maternal Health Care in West Africa

While Corporations are competing to increase the GDP of the USA, and billionaires are competing in getting to Mars, there is still a plethora of issues that can be done right now to improve life on this planet without having to invent anything new. I have been working for fifteen years with Mid-Wives in West Africa and elsewhere on low cost interventions that empower women in remote rural communities to provide for their families, improve their healthcare and make childbirth safer. During the presentation, I will show a few short videos that tell most of the story and explain how "micro-finance" and "micro-health" insurance work, and I will fill in the gaps and take questions. The curtailment of the USAID mission has made this work even more urgent, if that is even possible.  

Producer: Robin Saidman

Robin received his BA (Edinburgh, Anthropology) and MA (Royal College of Art, London, Film). He was a commercial photographer for 25 years, and then a photojournalist for 25 years. As a photojournalist the work has been primarily overseas with NGOs in Africa, Asia and South America.

Robin founded VITAL EDGE (501)3c in 2005, with colleagues on the East End of Long Island. VITAL EDGE (www.vitaledgeaid.org) has initiated programs in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Senegal and Mali. The principal focus of these programs has been Micro-Savings, Maternal Healthcare, Water and Micro-Agriculture.

Robin is a resident of Shelter Island, NY. where he sails and waits for his three children to call.