The Church at Brook Hills, thank you for faithfully and generously supporting mothers and babies receiving holistic care in 15 Survival programs in southwest Togo. Through your partnership with local church partners and Compassion’s Survival program, vulnerable babies and mothers living in extreme poverty are thriving despite challenging circumstances. Your gift makes this possible.
Through you, 336 mothers and babies have received lifesaving assistance to help them thrive. Devoted church partners provide prenatal and postnatal care that include nutritional supplements, vaccinations, medical care and supplies for new moms and babies. Survival staff give mothers emotional and spiritual support, and mothers learn parenting, nutrition and hygiene skills, enabling their babies to grow strong and healthy.
Please enjoy this sampling of recent activities and successes in the lives of Togolese mothers and babies in these programs.
Pictured above: TG0604 Survival mother Magreat and her husband, center, proudly present their healthy son, Winner, to the church deacon for a blessing.
Ministry Progress at the 15 Survival Centers
You Support in Southwest Togo
July – December 2023
New Hope for Abra, a Caregiver at TG0137
Dear Friends,
When my first child was born, I faced many challenges during my recovery in my husband’s village. The water source is 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) away, and there was no one to help me, even when I was ill. Going to the hospital was difficult due to lack of means.
I registered at TG0137 during my last month of pregnancy with my second child, Porscher. At my registration, the Survival Specialist advised me to get a medical checkup, but my labor started soon after. Once Porscher was born, the program provided me with baby items. When I fell ill after the birth, Auntie (Survival Specialist) sent me to the hospital without my having to pay a single franc.
Although I am not a Christian, when I get home from group activities and lessons, I share the Word of God with others. One day I intend to become a Christian. Additionally, before I joined the program, I did not like being generous to others, but following program lessons, I started giving to others.
Sincerely,
Abra
Good Health and Transformation
Like Abra, other moms and babies at the Togo Survival centers you support are deeply thankful for your timely intervention, helping them and their babies during their first critical months of life. Here are a few of their observations on the ways the Survival program is changing their lives.
Focus on Togo
The tiny agricultural nation of Togo, sandwiched between Ghana and Benin on the west coast of Africa, boasts beautiful beaches and verdant forests. Yet despite its beauty and natural resources, it is also one of the least-developed countries in the world.
Approximately 28% of its 8.5 million people live in extreme poverty, but that rate more than doubles to nearly 59% in rural areas. Women and children are the most vulnerable members of Togolese society. Maternal and infant mortality rates are high, and women have less access to economic opportunities, education and health care than men do.
Recent Survival Activities at Togo Centers You Support
Mothers and babies enrolled in the 15 Togo Survival centers receive an array of services that enable them to not only flourish but also drive change in their challenging environments. Staff combat malnutrition and anemia through nutritional and medical interventions. Survival Specialists lead monthly classes in topics including parenting, child development, health and hygiene, income generation and saving. With God’s word and prayer infused in all aspects of the program, mothers are equipped with the spiritual tools they need to be resilient and filled with Christ’s hope.
Ivonne, a caregiver at TG0822 says:
Through this program, we have never lacked what we need to survive. I would like to thank everyone who helps save lives in our center. May our Lord Jesus Christ bless you.
The photos below provide an overview of recent activities at the Survival centers you support. Highlights include an income-generation workshop, health checkups, participation in the World Day of Handwashing, a Couples’ Evening, a devotion on Psalm 139 and home visits.
Babies Who Transitioned to Compassion’s Sponsorship Program
Thanks to your caring support, these Togolese babies (and others) at the Survival centers you support recently celebrated their first birthdays and transitioned to home-based care through Compassion’s Sponsorship Program. They will continue to grow and learn through the guidance provided by church staff and a loving sponsor.
Survival Program Spotlight: Breastfeeding
UNICEF has called breastfeeding a “natural safety net against the worst effects of poverty” due to its ability to protect babies and mothers from life-threatening diseases and to affordably set them up for a healthy future. Unfortunately, many mothers in poverty today face overwhelming obstacles to successful breastfeeding. Malnutrition can diminish a new mother’s recovery and milk production, impeding her ability to meet her body’s nutritional demands following pregnancy and to adequately feed her baby. And even for women who have enough to eat, social stigmas and a lack of education can serve as insurmountable barriers for women who might otherwise access the health and economic benefits that breastfeeding offers.
By educating new mothers about breastfeeding and helping them establish a positive breastfeeding connection with their baby, the Survival program eliminates harmful stigmas and supports the health of little ones in their most vulnerable months of life.
Rejoicing With You
The Church at Brook Hills, what a remarkable difference you are making in the lives of at-risk mothers and babies in 15 Togo Survival centers! Your prayerful support has saved lives and continues to build healthier families living in impoverished communities. Thank you so much for loving and rescuing vulnerable mothers and babies, giving them health, hope and purpose in Jesus’ name.