Project Title: Chapel, Maternity Ward, and Maternity-Waiting Home for Mwambani Pregnancy and Medical Hostel.

 

Program Funding Caritas Veritate 501(c)3 US Charity EIN 272940259 and

 

Mr. Gregory L. Mitchell
Email: gmitchell@caritasvm.org

Telephone: +1-224-266-4168

Role and Position: Executive Director, Caritas Veritate Missions

 

About Caritas Veritate Missions

 

Caritas Veritate Missions is dedicated to answering Christ's call to serve humanity in Tanzania, Africa, and beyond through acts of sacrificial love rooted in the truth of the Catholic Church. With over seventeen years of experience in foreign mission fields, from the jungles of Central America to the Sub-Saharan plains of Africa, Caritas Veritate Missions remains fully committed to a pro-life stance. We adhere to the teachings of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church regarding contraception and human sexuality.

 

As advocates for a culture of life, we approach all life issues with deep respect, recognizing the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. Our mission focuses on supporting the unborn, children, and expectant mothers through corporal and spiritual works of mercy. We strive to foster a culture of life by implementing the teachings of the Church, engaging in evangelization, promoting catechism, and upholding the Sacramental Life of the Church.  

In addition to our main efforts, we also support the clergy and religious sisters in impoverished areas worldwide. Our mission is to ensure they have access to clean water by establishing water wells, reliable transportation, and assistance with damaged infrastructure. We adhere to Christ’s mandate to spread the Gospel to all of creation, and our support for these communities is crucial in fulfilling this mission.

 

In Tanzania, our priests and religious leaders are fully aligned with the Catholic Church's Magisterium and are committed to the spiritual and physical well-being of those they serve. Organizations that contribute to Caritas Veritate Missions and regular donors can specify where they would like their donations to be allocated.

 

In this document, we present a proposal for a Maternity-Waiting Home aimed at saving the lives of pregnant women and their unborn children while also countering pro-abortion efforts in the region.

 

Mission Statement:

The proposed Maternity-Waiting Home (MWH) is a residential facility located near a medical center designed to provide lodging for pregnant women at a heightened risk of complications. Essentially, this home offers women a safe place to stay for at least two weeks before and two weeks after the birth of their child, which is a critical period when both mothers and infants are most vulnerable to health issues and complications.

 

When a woman goes into labor, she is transported to a nearby hospital, no more than 5 kilometers away from the MWH. This hospital is equipped to provide necessary medical care, including C-sections, ensuring the mother's health and facilitating a safe delivery. 

Caritas Veritate Missions envisions a Maternal Wellness Home (MWH) that provides essential maternal health care to mothers and children in the Mwambani area of Songwe, Tanzania. In partnership with the Sisters of Mary Queen of the Apostles, the Archdiocese of Mbeya, and Mwambani Mission Hospital, the MWH will offer African mothers housing, food, support, advocacy, and education. The goal is to promote safe, medically attended births and ensure adequate medical care throughout pregnancy, the postpartum period, and the first year of a child's life.

 

Support will be tailored to individual needs, offering both short-term and long-term assistance. In addition to addressing the physical needs of mothers and children, the MWH aims to be a place where Tanzanian families can experience the love and mercy of Christ. The home will be open to all Tanzanian mothers and children under 12 years old in need, regardless of their religion, race, or economic status.

History and Background:

 

Caritas Veritate Missions has over ten years of experience supporting Indigenous mothers and children in impoverished areas of Central America. We now aim to extend our efforts to Mwambani, Tanzania.

 

Through the initiative of Caritas Veritate’s St. Francis Emmaus Center in Central America, we established a fully sustainable, long-term institution that continues to provide access, advocacy, and support for Indigenous women and children in the Turrialba and Cabecar regions. Our work has successfully reduced infant mortality by half in these areas and saved the lives of many mothers as well.

 

By collaborating with the local government hospital, doctors, and tribal leaders, we were able to provide health care, education, and empowerment for mothers, alongside community support and family preservation for Indigenous children at risk. As a result, countless lives have been saved. This initiative has also opened opportunities for further partnerships and collaborations, allowing us to enhance the services provided to Indigenous Cabecar mothers.

 

We built both financial and social support within the local community and improved long-term care interventions for children, along with ongoing medical care for both typical and special needs children. Additionally, we ensured that the sacraments of the Catholic Church were accessible to those we served.

 

Caritas Veritate Missions is eager to replicate this successful model in Tanzania, where there is a significant need for medical, financial, and spiritual support.





Objectives for the MWH in Mwambani:

 

  1. To provide access to safe, medically attended births to promote a lower overall maternal and infant mortality rate in Mwambani and beyond.

  2. To offer support and education to mothers to lessen the trauma of birth and create a positive experience for labor and birth, thus enhancing the emotional bond and overall health between the mother and newborn.

  3. To provide space for postpartum recovery and lactation support in the first weeks of a child’s life to ensure no mother-child pair returns to regions where health care is inaccessible or has medical crises in the first 28 days after birth, which is when there is the highest risk for infant mortality from preventable causes.

  4. To educate mothers on newborn care, breastfeeding practices, signs of infant distress that require medical intervention, and healthy postpartum recovery while enhancing nutrition, recuperation, and postpartum bonding of mother and child.

  5. To coordinate and advocate for mothers to follow early check-ups and routine examinations that could be lifesaving for their infants by providing them access to medical facilities and accompaniment in these first appointments.

  6. To provide life-saving intervention, support, and education, as well as access to medical care for the mothers of children who are born at high risk, including premature infants, infants with special medical needs, infants with signs of early malnutrition, and other at-risk cases as referred by the local hospital or medical system for as long as medical personnel deems such access and support necessary.

  7. To provide short-term stays to mothers and children in need of emergency medical care when they are released outside of standard bus transportation hours, when the weather will not permit travel by foot, or when an emergency does not deem hospital admittance but does indicate treatment, further recuperation, and access to medical services.

  8. To provide needed support to parents whose children require ongoing medical controls in hospitals located outside the region. These hospitals require that they arrive a day in advance of appointments and be transported by ambulance in the early morning hours to the necessary facility.

  9. To create a system of follow-up with mothers and babies over the first year of life that would enable increased health education, spiritual formation, developmental controls, and checks, and early intervention for any at-risk signs that are discovered in babies in the first year of life. The program will consist of monthly educational workshops for moms, support groups, early stimulation training, and weight and developmental checks throughout the babies’ first year of life.

  10. To create an approach to prenatal care in coordination with local medical authorities, which would increase the overall health of mothers and babies and decrease the trauma of birth and hospital stays by providing optimal care for women with a continual medical team throughout pregnancy and birth.

 

Previous Experience:

 

Since 2013, the Casa San Francisco Emmaus initiative has supported over 3,000 Cabecar Indigenous mothers and their children. The local medical system has recognized the initiative as a key factor in reducing the infant mortality rate among this population. It has been identified as a model for future programs by the National Commission on Indigenous Affairs. Medical personnel at all levels of the healthcare system have expressed their support for the initiative and gratitude for the safety network it provides when their interventions cannot adequately meet the needs of this community. Due to this population's geographical and cultural isolation, accessing medical care can be challenging, which is why we chose to serve this area.

 

Partners to Date in Mwambani, Tanzania:

 

Caritas Veritate, Sisters of Mary Queen of the Apostles, the Archdiocese of Mbeya, and the Mwambani Mission Hospital

 

Relations with the Local organizations and NGO’s (Non-Governmental Organizations):

 

In partnership with the sisters of Mary Queen of the Apostles, the Archdiocese of Mbeya, and the Mwambani Mission Hospital, this MWH and chapel will operate in Tanzania, Africa. The current proposed project (to increase the capacity of the initiative and the services it can provide with the construction of a long-term, sustainable facility) will be made possible by building a facility or purchasing an existing facility and by enlarging the maternity ward of the existing hospital.

 

Project location (geographical, ecological, socio-political, economic, religious, and cultural circumstances) in the project location, in the project region, and in the number of inhabitants.

 

Mwambani is an administrative ward located in the Songwe District of Tanzania's Songwe Region. The hospital in this ward serves the entire district and also extends its services beyond district boundaries, providing care to residents of Chunya and Mbeya Rural Districts in the Mbeya Region, as well as Momba and Mbozi Districts in the Songwe Region. According to the 2012 National Population Census, the hospital caters to a population of 174,709 people, which includes 87,500 males and 87,209 females. It is the only referral hospital in the Songwe District Council, yet many individuals from outside the designated catchment area, including those from Mbeya and Chunya Districts in the Mbeya Region and Momba and Mbozi Districts in the Songwe Region, seek treatment at this facility.

 

Source: Songwe District Health Profile 2021

 

As noted above, the hospital catchment area is the whole area of Songwe District Council which is divided into two divisions. It has 18 wards and 43 villages, all of which depend on our hospital services.

 

Health Services

 

Songwe District Council operates 28 health facilities, which include one hospital, one health center, and 26 dispensaries. Mwambani Mission Hospital is committed to ensuring the adequate availability of resources, such as human resources, funding, and health commodities, to enhance the provision of health services. The hospital offers the following health services:

 

1. **Curative Health Services**: This includes the Outpatient Department (OPD), where diagnostic services and care are provided for patients who do not require overnight stays. The OPD features six consultation rooms, one dental room, one dressing room, a patient waiting room, a medical records room, and a reception area. The Inpatient Department (IPD) accommodates admitted patients and consists of five wards: Maternity and Labor, Pediatric, Male (medical and surgical), Female (medical and surgical), and a Private Ward (which includes NHIF patients). The hospital has a trained general surgeon and plans to establish specialized services and clinics in the future.

 

2. **Surgical Services**: The hospital performs both major and minor surgeries. There are two operating rooms: one designated for septic cases and the other for antiseptic cases. Currently, the operating rooms lack adequate facilities and are not suitable for surgeries due to space limitations. Additionally, there is a dedicated room for minor surgeries.

 

3. **Support Services**: These include laboratory services, X-ray and imaging services, and a pharmacy with a major store and a dispensing room.

 

4. **Preventive Services**: The hospital offers various preventive services, including reproductive and child health services (antenatal care, postnatal services, and outreach/mobile services), comprehensive HIV/AIDS care (including HIV testing and counseling, treatment, home-based care, gender-based violence support, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, voluntary male medical circumcision, and early male infant circumcision), community health education, and nutrition programs.

 

5. **Promotion Services**: Community health education focusing on healthy lifestyles and proper nutrition is also provided.

 

6. **Administration**: The hospital administration supports all departments, including accounts, procurement, NHIF, and technical sections (building, mechanical, and electrical).

 

This comprehensive approach ensures the hospital meets the health needs of the community effectively.

Planned hospital activities are centered around the 13 identified health priority areas:

 

1. Ensuring the adequate availability of health commodities, including medicines, medical equipment, medical supplies, laboratory reagents, and dental supplies.

2. Enhancing the provision of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health services.

3. Controlling communicable diseases.

4. Controlling non-communicable diseases.

5. Providing nutrition services.

6. Improving environmental health and sanitation.

7. Strengthening social welfare and social protection services.

8. Enhancing the capacity of human resources in health and social welfare management.

9. Strengthening organizational structure and institutional management.

10. Improving emergency preparedness and response.

11. Constructing, rehabilitating, and performing planned preventive maintenance on physical infrastructure.

12. Promoting traditional medicine and alternative healing practices.

Description of the problem to which the project responds:

 

The Mwambani area in the Songwe region has a population of nearly 175,000 people. Due to its remote location, the region faces unique challenges in accessing essential services, particularly healthcare and emergency response.

 

To reach the nearest fully operational District Designated Hospital, mothers in the region must travel on foot or by car, covering distances that can take anywhere from 1-2 hours to a full day. In emergencies, the population relies on the availability of ambulances, which must navigate substandard roads.

 

The lack of infrastructure, along with the inability to implement recommended healthcare measures, is compounded by the scarcity of hotels or guest houses in the village. The only existing hostel, operated by the Mwambani Mission Hospital, does not meet the current needs of the population and will be inadequate as the population continues to grow.

 

These challenges in accessing medical care are particularly harmful to pregnant mothers and small children, especially infants in their first year of life and children with special medical needs. The Mwambani Mission Hospital (MWH) aims to address this issue by providing mothers and children with accommodation on hospital grounds, transportation to and from clinics, housing, and food for the duration of their stay. Additionally, MWH will advocate within the healthcare system and offer education to help families adhere to medical recommendations, all at no cost.

 

Description of the target group:

 

The initiative is focused on supporting Tanzanian mothers and children under the age of 12, with particular emphasis on pregnant mothers, newborns, and medically fragile children during their first year of life. Although a reference from medical personnel is preferred, it is not required to access the services of the initiative.

 

The necessity of constructing or purchasing this building arises from the need to accommodate both the initiative and the homes of its staff members. Additionally, a chapel for the sisters is essential, as they are engaged in active apostolate work and live together in a convent on the hospital grounds. Currently, they lack a proper chapel to support their religious vocations. At present, the sisters conduct Mass and prayers in a hospital classroom, where they pray for the well-being of their patients and the surrounding communities.

 

 

 

Description of activities to be implemented:

 

The Maternity Wellness House (MWH) will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It will have the capacity to accommodate up to thirty-two (32) women and their children at any given time. The MWH will provide three meals daily, along with an afternoon coffee and snack. It will also offer beds and shelter for sleeping. Additionally, staff will monitor all treatments and recommendations provided by medical personnel.

 

For babies with complex medical needs, center staff will receive training from hospital personnel to assist mothers in managing the care of their medically fragile infants. Pregnant women will benefit from preparation for labor and the support of a trained midwife during the labor and birth process. Transportation to and from the hospital for appointments and emergencies will be provided, and accompaniment to appointments will be available upon request.

 

The MWH will facilitate access to medical services through the government medical system and will work to secure government aid for at-risk families. The staffing will include trained nurses and a midwife capable of assessing pregnant women who arrive without prenatal care. Educational workshops will be offered on an informal basis, and evangelization and catechism activities will take place throughout the week. Additional special services will be provided as needed.

 

**Description of the Current Premises:**

 

The initiative will be located in Mwambani, Tanzania. There is a district hospital operated by the Sisters of Mary Queen of the Apostles and owned by the Archdiocese of Mbeya, which offers medical and surgical services with an ecclesiastical focus, along with a small set of rooms for mothers traveling from a distance who do not require inpatient care.

 

**Existing Infrastructure:**

 

Mwambani Mission Hospital can perform deliveries in emergency situations, including cesarean sections. There is a small guest house on-site; however, it is inadequate to meet the current demand for accommodations for non-critical mothers seeking lodging.

Planning and Background:

 

In regions with high maternal mortality ratios, the utilization of maternal health services is significantly low. This low utilization is primarily due to barriers to accessing care, which in turn contributes to high maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity rates. The disparities in service use between high- and low-income countries are substantial, and differences also exist within countries. Access to maternity health services is a key indicator of maternal mortality. Alongside per capita gross national product, access to maternal health services emerges as one of the most important predictors. Therefore, establishing health facilities capable of providing emergency obstetric care is essential for reducing maternal mortality. Improved access to these services will also lead to a significant decrease in perinatal morbidity and mortality.

 

### Project Background:

 

Caritas Veritate identified a region in Tanzania where the population suffers from infant mortality rates considered to be at emergency levels by the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO). Contributing factors include lack of access to healthcare, an extended reproductive phase, high poverty rates, and limited education.

 

It became evident that improving access to existing medical facilities would have a significant impact on the overall health outcomes for pregnant mothers and infants during their first year of life.

 

The confidence in the medical staff and personnel at St. Bryce Mission’s Maternal Health (MWH) program demonstrates both the existing need and the effectiveness of the response model that has been developed.

 

Mr. Gregory Mitchell, the Executive Director of Caritas Veritate, will serve as the project coordinator for all construction activities. He has a proven track record in successful project planning and completion, ensuring stability for all proposed construction and ongoing programming.

 

### Objectives:

 

**Overall Goals:** The primary aim is to provide access to medical care, hospitalization, support, and advocacy to enhance the effectiveness of medical interventions and education, thereby increasing the long-term impact of these interventions.

 

**Project Objectives:** This initiative will create a safe house for prenatal care for at-risk mothers and children, along with a medical hostel that provides room and board for overnight or longer stays for women and children traveling from remote areas of the Mwambani region.

 

**Expected Achievements and Timeline:** The MWH will continue to offer care and programming it has already implemented. By December 2022, the initiative will have purchased an existing facility with greater capacity and space to enhance educational programming and clinic operations, all of which will be fully implemented by early 2023.

 

**Anticipated Changes:** The ongoing care for infants and at-risk mothers is expected to decrease infant mortality and maternal death rates, continuing the successes achieved over the past ten years. Additional interventions and programs will aim to enhance the overall health baseline for mothers and children during their first year of life and provide support for family preservation in cases involving children with complex medical needs.

 

**Participants in Achieving the Objectives:** The Sisters of Mary Queen of the Apostles have medical personnel and doctors on staff. The hospital director is a priest, and a newly ordained deacon has been actively involved in hospital operations during his formation. Caritas Veritate will also play a key role in this initiative. Missions will be responsible for fundraising and promoting the project to new and existing donors.

 

**Planned Measures and Activities:**

 

**Current Access Measures:** Access to medical care will be facilitated by providing housing and nutrition near the hospital, as well as meeting transportation needs that cannot be managed by an ambulance.

 

**Current Support Measures:** Upon arrival of a mother and child, all medically prescribed treatments and appointments will be reviewed by staff. For pregnant mothers who have not received adequate prenatal care, immediate action will be taken to ensure they receive a prenatal consultation. Prescribed medications will be reviewed, and the mother will be supported in the proper administration of these medications. If follow-up appointments are necessary, the medical staff will record them and supervise all follow-up visits. If a mother requires lactation support, staff will offer continuous, direct assistance to ensure a successful initiation of breastfeeding. MWH will coordinate follow-up care with personnel in the hospital lactation office.

 

**Current Advocacy Measures:** MWH provides women with support during appointments and throughout labor and delivery. Additionally, medical staff will coordinate between various hospital departments and social workers for higher-level interventions when referrals to outside hospitals are necessary.

 

**Current Education Measures:** MWH will offer preparation for labor and delivery, along with explanations of the associated physical processes, to all pregnant mothers. Postpartum mothers will receive detailed explanations of diagnoses and medical interventions. They will also receive instruction on newborn care, proper postpartum care, and best practices for breastfeeding. Basic nutrition and infant care will be taught through nutrition and feeding programs at the hostel. Classes that explain the female reproductive system and menstrual cycle will be offered informally, along with other educational topics as the need arises.

 

**Schedule of Activities:**

 

**Daily:**

- Provide housing for women and their children in need of medical care.

- Offer three daily meals and two snacks.

- Respond to all referrals made by local health personnel.

- Oversee medical needs and follow up with mothers currently at the center.

- Provide opportunities for prayer.

 

**Weekly:**

- Check all scheduled appointments for guests at the facility.

- Review treatments, therapies, and medications to ensure all medical instructions are being followed.

- Offer educational workshops for mothers.

- Provide support from a visiting psychologist.

- Conduct weight and developmental checks for all children currently at the facility.

 

**Monthly:**

- Offer follow-up educational programs open to all mothers who have passed through the home, featuring health education workshops led by qualified professionals.

- Conduct weight and developmental checks for children.

- Organize a support circle for mothers and provide a meal.

 

**As Needed:**

- Accompany women to medical appointments to ensure full comprehension of their situations and necessary follow-ups.

- Provide trained support during labor and delivery.

- Transport women to hospitals and to and from Mwambani.

- Accompany women and provide support in establishing breastfeeding.

- Offer preparation for labor and delivery for women and their support persons.

- Provide accommodations for long-term stays for mothers with special needs or medically fragile children who cannot return home for an extended period.

- Advocate for and assist families in obtaining governmental or organizational support available to them.

 

Monitoring, evaluation, sustainability

 

Verifying outcomes KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) St. Bryce Missions will track the construction of the new facility, and the hiring of hostel employees. The need for the pregnancy home is evident in the past success of St. Bryce Missions in Costa Rica.


Our projected goal is helping at least 1,000 women in the first year . We will track effectiveness by using government resource rates of infant and maternal mortality from the following causes but not limited to

  • Sepsis

  • Uterine rupture

  • Postpartum hemorrhage

  • Prolonged or obstructed labor

  • Perinatal mortality

  • Respiratory distress syndrome

  • Neonatal infection and sepsis

We will maintain a record of all patients at the MWH and continue to track them for a period of one year. We will receive reports from the hospital regarding infant health, weights, and other relevant data. We will keep detailed records for infants with long-term conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, Cleft Palate Syndrome, and childhood cancers like Leukemia. Additionally, we will provide ongoing data on the welfare and long-term job sustainability of families, as well as any other needs they may have. We will also coordinate follow-up visits to the hospital.

 

**5-Year Performance Tracking**

 

St. Bryce Missions will be responsible for reporting the five-year impact of the program on reducing infant and maternal mortality rates. St. Bryce Missions will also provide future funding for this initiative.

 

**Verifying Outcomes: Questions and Answers**

 

1. **How will we check that participants have understood the contents of the program?** 

   We will assess the outcomes of medical prevention efforts and gather feedback from collaborating medical personnel to demonstrate improved outcomes for the medical intervention and follow-up care of referred mothers and children.

 

2. **How will participants put the contents of the program into practice?** 

   We will implement a long-term program focused on education, support, and developmental monitoring of babies. This program will be managed by the medical staff.

 

3. **Who monitors and supports beneficiaries in this, and in what ways?** 

   [This section would typically include details about the monitoring and support structure, which can be added as needed.]Caritas Veritate Missions and local medical professionals will support and monitor results by medical visits, weights, health checkups, etc.

How we will ensure that the right conditions exist to put the contents of the program into practice?

The rate of infant mortality is extreme in Mwambani. Local villagers and authorities consider this project to be well-accepted and needed.

Which factors could interfere with putting the contents into practice?

There are no major obstacles to putting this plan into effect.



****An additional $75,000 salary for an executive director for the year to oversee the project is also suggested. Total $1.5 million