On the 22nd of Jan I will be traveling to North Greece to do some voluntary work in 2 refugee camps for a project called Nurture Project International. The project works with mothers and babies/young children... an area close to my heart as a mother and in line with my expertise in regards to my work as a birth educator, doula and breastfeeding peer supporter.

The project provides specialized technical care to families in crisis from both health professionals and lay volunteers. Displacement of populations in crisis greatly impacts on the health and nutrition status of infants and young children. During emergencies rates of child mortality can soar up to 70 times higher than average. The backbone of Nurture Project International is to provide assessment and specialized provision for mothers (ante and post natal), caregivers and young children under the guidelines of the ‘International Convention of the Rights of the Child,’ ’Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies and others.

NPI builds mother and baby tents in refugee camps where women can rest, get warm (temperatures are down to minus 10 at the moment and the camps are covered in snow and ice) feed and care for their infants in a safe, welcoming place. Baby hygiene stations, food, support, information and health care are provided. Optimal breastfeeding wherever possible is encouraged and supported and appropriate, safe complimentary feeding is established as a main strategy of reducing child mortality.

I will be working in the tents and be providing outreach support in the camps and to families that have been resettled nearby. If you feel you would like to donate anything, all the money I raise I will donate to the project. They will spend it on things like food for breastfeeding mothers and babies/young children over 6 months, nappies, warm clothing and bedding etc.. You can read more about the project on their website.. www.nurtureprojectinternational.org. Thank you so much for your support.