Hey! Firstly I want to thank you for taking the time to visit my just giving page. The reason I have created this page is because in July this year I will embark on the adventure of a lifetime. I will be flying over to Tanzania (Dar Es Salaam) where I will volunteer at the local hospital for 2 weeks in the maternity services.

I am in my second year of Midwifery at Birmingham City University and as part of one of our modules we must undertake an elective placement to which we can go anywhere in the world. The reason I have chosen to visit Tanzania is that their healthcare is completely different from the maternity care that we have here in the UK, and one significant difference being the number of maternal and neonatal deaths due to pregnancy and childbirth. Africa has one of the highest maternal morbidity rates in the world due to lack of resources, high incidence of HIV and having an inadequate healthcare system. Around 31 women die each day due to childbirth related problems as well as babies, which could all be prevented.

I therefore hope to visit a large regional hospital in Tanzania where 90 babies are born each day, with 8 women sharing a labour ward room to deliver (thank god for our NHS!!) I am passionate that women and babies should receive the best possible care regardless of where they are in the world - by visiting Tanzania I will be able to enhance my knowledge in my own practice as well as helping theirs.

As you can imagine the price of the trip is costly! However I have thought about several fundraising ideas that will help fund my trip. I will be travelling with another student midwife from my cohort; this trip is self-funded and we are using the company Work the World which organises our accommodation and placements which without flights amounts to £2090. Any contributions towards this once in a lifetime opportunity would be so greatly appreciated and by sharing this page and helping get the word out would be a massive help! Even just £1 donations will go such a long way. Thank you in advance and I look forward to sharing my journey with you all.

Charlotte x