THE Rotary Club of Phillip Island and San Remo is making a powerful contribution to global maternal health by packing vital birthing kits destined for African communities, where clean and safe childbirth supplies can be the difference between life and death.
The initiative is part of a global humanitarian effort aimed at reducing the staggering toll of preventable deaths caused by sepsis during childbirth. Every year, an estimated 300,000 women and 2.4 million newborns die from infections related to unclean birth conditions. These heartbreaking statistics inspired the club to take action.
Last week, club members came together to pack hundreds of birthing kits – simple yet lifesaving parcels that provide the basic tools needed for a clean delivery.
What’s in a Birthing Kit?
Each kit contains six essential items: a plastic sheet, soap, sterile gloves, gauze, a sterile blade, and cord ties. Designed to meet World Health Organisation guidelines, these basic supplies significantly reduce the risk of infection for both mother and baby during childbirth.
"These kits are incredibly simple, but in the hands of a midwife or birthing attendant in a remote village, they can be lifesaving," said Club President Gea Lovell. “They give women a cleaner, safer birthing experience—something we take for granted in Australia.”
Global Reach from Local Hands
The Rotary Club’s packing day is held in partnership with the Birthing Kit Foundation Australia and is part of Rotary International’s broader commitment to maternal and child health. The packed kits will be sent to trusted field partners in African countries, where they’ll be distributed to expectant mothers and healthcare workers in areas with little or no access to medical facilities.
“For us, it’s a few hours of us working together. For women in rural Africa, it could mean surviving childbirth,” said Club International Chair, Stevie O’Reilly, who organised the event. “It’s humbling to know that something so small can have such a big impact.”
As the boxes of Birthing Kits are prepared for shipment, they carry more than sterile supplies—they carry hope, dignity, and a chance at life for mothers and babies who deserve the same safe start as anyone, anywhere.