June 1, 2022

 
Latter-day Saint Charities recently hosted two courses.  One course served to better train nurses and midwives from around Kurdistan in the best practices of delivering a baby and caring for the newborn.  The second course was for pediatric doctors from around Iraq to expose them to the latest practices in the care of newborns who fail to breathe on their own.  LDSC rented rooms at a hotel in Erbil and brought in several cohorts of nurses and midwives.


The maroon item on the table replicates the mother’s womb and the ladies are trained in delivery.  The delivery ”kit/dummy” is really quite amazing.


Here one of the midwives prepares for the delivery.


The midwife learns to cut the umbilical cord.


The newborn is placed on the mother’s chest.


Our trainer works with one of the nurses.  Our trainers are also missionaries called to teach this program throughout the Middle East.  They live at home and then travel to teach a few times a year.


Some of the nurses work together.


One of our instructors spends some one-on-one time with several of the nurses.


The nurses and midwives will get posters, booklets, and a mother/newborn kit to take back to their hospitals.


The nurses and midwives were thrilled to have Shirin Amedi visit the class.  Miss Amedi is one the first female Peshmerga.  The Peshmerga are the Kurdish army.  She fought for the independence of Kurdistan and is now a powerful figure in the Kurdish government.  She is also donating land for LDSC to build the first Nursing and Midwifery Development Center in Kurdistan (more to come on that soon!).


Shirin Amedi receives a plaque from Eva Said.  Eva will head up the Nursing and Midwifery Center.


Barbara delivered a letter of gratitude from Elder Randy Funk, Counselor in the LDS Middle East/Africa North Area Presidency.  I should mention that Shirin is dressed in traditional Kurdish attire.


Barbara and Shirin exchanged a hug.  We have worked together to make the soon-to-be Nursing and Midwifery Development Center a reality along with Eva.


Barbara and Shirin with Elder Funk’s letter.


A group photo of the teachers and donors for the delivery/newborn course.


One of the cohorts of nurses and midwives with the teachers and donors.


The second course was dedicated to Iraqi pediatric doctors specializing in newborns.  Here our teacher (on the left) works through various newborn scenarios with a group of doctors.


After the courses we joined the teachers for a dinner at a restaurant in Erbil.  It was great to have these American missionaries and doctors visit us.


At the dinner Jim and Nazim share construction ideas for the soon-to-be-built Nursing and Midwifery Development Center.


Many of the Kurdish restaurants have beautiful landscaping.  This was enchanting.


A final group photo to celebrate a great team engaged in a great cause!



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