WOMEN from the North Metro Area Health Service Aboriginal Health team are working to improve maternity services for Aboriginal women.
Six members of the group, which is developing projects to improve maternal and infant health for Aboriginal populations, are seeking financial sponsorship to join a 130km pilgrimage through Spain to raise funds for the UK-based women’s and babies charity SafeHands.
SafeHands provides educational and health promotion DVDs and solar-powered DVD players to communities in regional, rural and remote areas of the world with high perinatal death rates.
The Aboriginal Health team said they felt drawn to the event because the values of SafeHands were closely aligned with theirs.
Clinical midwifery consultant Karen Kruit said they were striving to achieve an equitable maternity service in Australia and saw this event as an opportunity for Aboriginal women working in WA Health to take part with SafeHands in the international arena.
NMAHS Aboriginal Health manager Cheryl Hayward said:
“Being a part of this pilgrimage provides myself and the other Aboriginal women with an opportunity to show leadership and influence the health and wellbeing of indigenous mums and babies the world over.”
During the pilgrimage which follows the famous El Camino de Santiago ancient pilgrim’s route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the women will walk under the name of Yorgas Boodjaree Koorling.
This name in Noongar, when translated, means “walking for our pregnant women”.