Friend,

More than half of all people living in Central African Republic (CAR) rely on humanitarian aid—among those are women desperately in need of maternal care. Currently, 1.3 million people—more than one in three—are internally displaced within CAR or have fled to other countries to seek safety. CAR also has among the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.

This Maternal Health Monday, we visit the border of CAR and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to meet Christelle.

When a coalition of armed groups attacked her hometown in Bangassou, a city in southeastern CAR, Christelle and her family were among nearly 13,000 people who crossed the Mbomou River to take refuge in the village of Ndu, DRC. When she fled, Christelle was at a very advanced stage of her pregnancy, approaching the due date for her second child.

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been providing support to the local health center in Ndu since 2017. To meet the needs of the influx of refugees, our team increased the services we offered, including maternal care. With the help of dedicated health workers, Christelle safely gave birth to her daughter, Alvina.

Christelle, like many of the refugees living in Ndu, is too scared to return to her home across the river in Bangassou. “If I have to go back,” she says, “I want to be sure that we are safe with Alvina. I don't want us to have to run away again."

While living in Ndu, Christelle can count on the care she and her children will receive from our dedicated team.

Friend, no mother should have to live in fear. We depend on individual donors to help us continue providing care in hard to reach areas to those who need it most.

This Maternal Health Monday, please consider making your first gift to MSF to help our teams deliver essential and lifesaving care to women and their children.