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Mums and Babies

Mums and Babies

The first year of life is critical

Give to support vulnerable mothers and their babies

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For mums and babies living in poverty, the first year of a child’s life is critical for survival.

Why giving to Mums and Babies is so important

830 women

830 women die daily — 302,000 each year — from complications in pregnancy and childbirth, 99 per cent of them in developing countries

For every woman

For every woman who dies approximately 20 others suffer serious injuries, infections or disabilities

2.5 Million Children

In 2017, 2.5 million children died within their first month of life, mostly from preventable causes

Threat of death is doubled

For a child born into poverty, the threat of death is doubled

Sources: WHO; UNFPA

Through generous supporters, Compassion works with mums and babies to prevent premature death, secure good health and enable positive development for babies and their caregivers.

In partnership with Compassion, local churches run activities and carry out regular home visits. Mums and Babies aims for a child and their caregiver to be:

  • Physically healthy
  • Encouraged in self-confidence and able to build healthy relationships
  • Equipped with life skills
  • Given the opportunity to hear the gospel message

Through Mums and Babies, you can help provide the support needed for the best start to life.



See your latest impact through Mums and Babies

See how your generosity changed the lives of children this year.
Download our Mums and Babies Impact Report.

See my impact

Mums and Babies Stories

Feature Story
25 Jun, 2020

Four Ways COVID-19 Will Undo Child Development Progress

Millions of children have escaped poverty in the past few decades, but the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to undo much of that progress. So what are the risks that children face—and how can we respond?.. Read more

07 May, 2020

Born in Quarantine: 5 Beautiful Photos of Newborns Around the World

Quarantine comes with many challenges—especially if you're about to deliver a baby! Find out how these five beautiful newborns were brought into the world during the COVID-19 pandemic... Read more

30 Apr, 2020

Inspiring Mothers Who Defied all Odds

When it comes to their children, a mother's love can defy all odds and overcome impossible hurdles. Here are five stories of mums in the Compassion family that are an inspiration to us all... Read more

FAQs

  • What is Compassion's Highly Vulnerable Children fund?

    Compassion's Highly Vulnerable Children fund offers a lifeline to children in Compassion's programs facing unthinkable hardship and living in high-risk situations.

    This includes: children who have been orphaned (or youth-headed households), children whose primary caregiver is incapacitated, children who have suffered abuse or exploitation, and children with special needs.

    Together with the local church, Compassion identifies children in highly vulnerable situations and provide them with specialised care and assistance to ensure they are stabilised and can continue to participate in Compassion's program.

    Examples of help given to these children can include: immediate housing arrangements, trauma counselling, nutritional support and provision of every day needs, legal assistance and renovations to structures and shelters.

    The Highly Vulnerable Children fund goes beyond the response of sponsorship to ensure children are kept safe and continue to be given opportunities to grow and develop without facing immediate risks to their safety and well-being.

  • Where does Compassion Mums and Babies operate?

    Compassion Mums and Babies works in over 25 developing countries to prevent premature death, secure good health and enable positive development in the youngest, most vulnerable children.

    Mums and Babies always operates through a survival project at the Compassion centre in local communities. It is the first phase of our holistic child development model. From age one, children will transition from Mums and Babies into the Child Sponsorship Program.

    You can

    • Give to Mums and Babies
    • Learn more about the Child Sponsorship Program
  • What are the current ways of supporting Mums and Babies?

    You can support Mums and Babies in a number of ways, either with a once-only donation or ongoing support.

    Here are some of the ways you can choose to give:  

    • A once-off donation of your choice to Mums and Babies will support young families worldwide and provide emergency care for vulnerable children.

    • $12 per month, contributed to Compassion's Critical Needs alongside child sponsorship, supports Mums and Babies globally and provides emergency care for vulnerable children.

    • A $20 once-off donation for a Care for a New Mum Gift of Compassion™, which will be used where support is most needed.

    • A $40 once-off donation for a baby essentials kit through GIFTSOFCOMPASSION™ gives a mum all the necessary supplies to care for her newborn, such as blankets and soaps.

    • A $260 once-off donation for a Start of Life Bundle. This GIFTSOFCOMPASSION™ provides an expectant mum living in poverty with crucial ante and postnatal care.

    • $15,000 once-off donation through Gifts of Compassion™ will nurture a Mums and Babies survival project in a specific community and provide life-saving support to vulnerable mothers and their babies.

  • How much does it cost to give to Mums and Babies?

    You can give to Mums and Babies for $12 per month or another amount of your choosing. You can also give through a one-off financial contribution. These contributions are pooled to support mothers and babies all around the world. As a Mums and Babies supporter, you will receive updates containing highlights, stories and statistics.

    You can also fund an entire Mums and Babies survival project, or launch a survival project in a new community. The cost to support an entire survival project varies by country, between $15,000 and $25,000 per year. Please contact us to discuss these options further.

    You can:

    • Learn more about Mums and Babies
  • How does Critical Needs work with Child Sponsorship?

    Critical Needs and the Child Sponsorship Program work side-by-side to equip Compassion's local church partners with the resources to provide holistic support and long-term, customised solutions for children, their families and communities. While the Child Sponsorship Program connects one child with one sponsor, Critical Needs giving is not directed to one child, but provides essential support to thousands of Compassion registered children when they need it most. Every child will benefit from Critical Needs during their time in Compassion’s program, as sponsorship funds alone are not sufficient to cover the varied and often urgent needs of the children we support.

    You can choose to support children globally through Critical Needs or fund an entire project in a specific community. These projects are both reactive and proactive and could include water filters to provide safe water to a community, reconstruction of homes after natural disasters, or income generating activities for adolescents and children's caregivers. The right assistance is identified and provided by the local church in partnership with Compassion.

    You can:

    • Give to Critical Needs
    • Sponsor a child