2. Week 3: Bangladesh

3. Fulbaria, Bangladesh

4. The birth of a baby is a special event. Mothers need doctors or
nurses to help them when they give birth because it is a difficult
job.

5. Salma
When 18 year old Salma and
her husband, Masud, found
out that they were expecting
their first child they were both
worried that there may be
problems.

6. Salma was often sick and had no appetite.
There were no doctors or hospitals nearby. They didn’t know what
to do.

7. Then someone told them about a woman called Pronoti, who lived
in a nearby village and knew a lot about pregnancy.
Pronoti helped Salma relax. She checked her baby was safe.

8. Pronoti told Salma she needed to eat more foods with iron in
them, and explained what foods she should eat.
Salma says, “Her words really reassured me.”

9. Salma soon started to feel stronger. She gave birth to a beautiful
baby girl, named ‘Maya’.
“Every day I feel more confident that I can care for my daughter
and I know that I can get good advice from Pronoti
if anything does happen.”

10. Pronoti is still visiting Salma to show her how to keep Maya
healthy. Salma is also sharing what she has learnt about
pregnancy and motherhood to other women in her area.

11. Pronoti trained as a midwife through the Safe Motherhood Project
(SMP), supported by Caritas Australia.
“The women I have been looking after encourage other
pregnant women to contact me.”

12. Caritas Australia and the Safe Motherhood Program is helping
women in Bangladesh to ensure their babies have a safe and
healthy start to life.

13. Join us in Project Compassion:
Let’s work together for justice
and a brighter world.

15. Picture credits
Majed Chowdhury
Caritas Australia
Map (Slide 3): Google Maps - ©2012 Google