Our Work
Clean Birth Kits
Our Clean Birth Kits are simple and effective tools for basic infection prevention and first-line childbirth care. Each component has been selected to support the 6 principles of cleanliness at birth for mothers, newborns, and birth attendants in high-risk and emergency settings.
From Saturday 5 June 2021 – World Environment Day, all of our birth kits became environmentally friendly. Still only $5, the new kit provides the same level of protection, but leaves less of an environmental impact. The plastic bag and sheets are treated with an organic compound and are biodegradable in microbe rich environments, such as landfill.
As an organisation, we aim to review the social and environmental impact of the birth kits annually, part of our commitment to better understand our impact to the global environment.
Soap
Soap to wash the birth attendant’s hands and the mother’s perineum.
A plastic sheet
A plastic sheet to prevent the mother and newborn coming into contact with the ground or an unhygienic surface.
Gloves
Gloves to cover the birth attendant’s hands and provide protection from infections such as HIV for carers and care recipients.
Gauze
Gauze to wipe clear the newborn baby’s eyes, and to clean the mother’s perineum prior to giving birth.
Cord
Cord ties to cleanly tie the umbilical cord.
A sterile blade
A sterile blade to cut the umbilical cord and reduce risk of newborn tetanus and infection.
Our Work
WHY BIRTHING KITS?
Disposable Delivery Kits are recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as an essential tool for use by birth attendants when a delivery occurs outside of a designated facility, particularly in emergency settings.
There is evidence from around the world demonstrating that these kits prevent childbirth-related infections and also act to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies by removing barriers and supporting mothers to access health services.
In many low-resource settings health facilities are not adequately equipped with clean supplies, so kits can also be used to resource and improve the basic cleanliness of these environments.
Our Work
HOW OUR CLEAN BIRTH KITS ARE PRODUCED
Generous supporters raise funds and organise events to pack Clean Birth Kits. Thousands of volunteers contribute to our supply each year.
Read more about becoming involved and holding your own Assembly Day.
WHERE OUR KITS ARE SENT
We send Clean Birth Kits, as part of our Kit Initiative, to organisations that have undergone an application and approval process to become one of our Global Partners.
This capacity and risk assessment process ensures that all of our Global Partners are able to identify vulnerable populations and effectively integrate the Clean Birth Kits into their existing programs and/or services.
We currently work with dozens of organisations throughout Asia, Africa, The Pacific and The Caribbean. The majority of our kits are sent to sub-Saharan Africa.
We also send Clean Birth Kits to approved organisations that deliver frontline assistance and services to the most vulnerable populations in emergency settings.
To apply to be one our Global Partners, contact info@bkfa.org.au.