Cannon Hill Anglican College students assemble 400 birthing kits
Justice & Advocacy
Cannon Hill Anglican College students have assembled 400 birthing kits, in partnership with the Zonta Club of Brisbane East, to help women in Africa give birth cleanly and safely
![School students preparing birthing kits](https://anglicanfocus.lbcdn.io/uploads/2024/08/583a23b7-c496-4c27-ae94-e5e2b3bbde09-3-lr-850x455.jpg)
Marion Rutter — Social Justice Coordinator, Cannon Hill Anglican College
Earlier this month, students from the Social Justice Committee at Cannon Hill Anglican College (CHAC) joined forces with volunteers from the Zonta Club of Brisbane East to assemble 400 birthing kits. These kits, essential for safe childbirth, are destined for various locations across Africa, facilitated by Birthing Kit Foundation (Australia).
The students at CHAC fundraised to purchase 200 of these kits, while the Zonta Club provided the remaining 200. Once assembled, these kits will be shipped to regions in Africa, by Birthing Kit Foundation (Australia), where they are desperately needed, offering support to women so they can give birth in unsanitary conditions.
Hannah Jesser and Jacqueline Fagg — Presidents of the Social Justice Committee, Cannon Hill Anglican College
Many women throughout the world are giving birth in unsafe and unsanitary conditions, leading to increased mortality rates for both mothers and babies. Health, safety and support should be freely accessible to all, yet sadly many go without these essentials daily. However, organisations such as the Birthing Kit Foundation (Australia), alongside our Social Justice Committee, are making a difference by providing access to better healthcare during childbirth.
By assembling and sending these kits to Africa, women who once faced higher risks of infection can now deliver in a more sanitary space and enjoy the arrival of their little ones. We are deeply grateful to the Social Justice Committee members, Mrs Rutter and Zonta volunteers for their dedication to this worthy cause.
Elodie Obrien — Year 12 student, Cannon Hill Anglican College
With the assistance of the Zonta volunteers who took time out of their days to help us, we assembled 400 birthing kits containing gloves, gauges, a scalpel, soap and string that were placed within a bag alongside a large green tarp. These kits are crucial in ensuring safer births and reducing maternal and infant deaths by providing a sterile environment. It was inspiring to witness the committee’s dedication to this vital cause.
A heartfelt thank you to Mrs Rutter for organising this initiative and to the Zonta volunteers for their generous support.
Susan Bamford — President, Zonta Club of Brisbane East
It is a basic human right that every birthing mother has a clean, safe childbirth. Thanks to the amazing students, Social Justice Coordinator Marion Rutter, and other staff at Cannon Hill Anglican College, 400 women in remote areas of the world will now have access to a birthing kit that will allow them to give birth cleanly and safely.
CHAC students are always a pleasure to work with, and their organisational skills and willingness to get the job done make this task so much easier.