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January 31, 2025
Local nonprofit plans mission trip to rural Guatemala, volunteers needed
Contributed
Madre y Niño, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving healthcare outcomes in rural Guatemala, is now accepting volunteer applications for its upcoming mission trip to the Petén region, specifically Laguna del Tigre, a remote rainforest bordering Mexico. The life-saving trip will take place from Sunday, March 9, through Saturday, March 15. The deadline to apply is Feb. 9.
Madre y Niño was founded by a dedicated group of nurses and healthcare professionals with strong ties to Texas, and led by Longview resident Deborah Bell, a family practice nurse practitioner.
Other key leaders of Madre y Niño include Kimberly Garcia, a Doctor of Nursing Practice and certified nurse midwife; Michelle Solis, a registered nurse and former lay midwife; Bob Kahn, a journalist and author; and Medina resident Malia Knight, registered nurse.
Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Guatemalan women, with 3.77 million Guatemalan women currently at risk for this potentially fatal cancer. Studies show women feel more comfortable working with midwives, trusted leaders in their communities.
“By empowering these dedicated providers with knowledge and supplies, Madre y Niño is creating a ripple effect that is improving health outcomes in some of the most underserved areas of Guatemala,” Bell said.
For the past five years, Madre y Niño has worked alongside local communities and the Guatemalan Ministry of Health to provide education and essential resources for lay midwives, the primary healthcare providers for most rural births. With a focus on improving maternal and child health, the organization has educated nearly 200 lay midwives through four separate learning sessions.
These sessions have covered vital topics such as recognizing obstetric emergencies, neonatal resuscitation, COVID-19 protocols, and preeclampsia detection—the second leading cause of maternal death in Guatemala. The lay midwives, who are highly respected community leaders despite lacking formal training and supplies, are equipped with life-saving tools, including bulb suctions, Ambu bags, stethoscopes, and blood pressure cuffs, during these sessions.
In addition to educational support, the organization has also delivered essential birth supplies during these sessions, such as exam gloves, umbilical cord clamps, iodine, and soap, ensuring midwives have the tools they need to support safe deliveries.
Madre y Niño has published findings from these sessions in peer-reviewed journals like Birth and Hispanic Health Care International, and presented research at prestigious international conferences, including the International Confederation of Midwives in Bali, Indonesia, and Eurogin in Bilbao, Spain. The organization collaborates with esteemed institutions such as Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and the University of Utah (UU) in these efforts.
Madre y Niño is committed to expanding its reach, both through educational programs for lay midwives and through direct healthcare missions in underserved areas. The organization invites donations, partnerships and volunteers to help support their mission.
Interested parties can contribute by donating funds, purchasing backpacks with birth supplies for lay midwives, buying HPV tests, or volunteering during the organization’s educational sessions or healthcare missions.
Volunteers will assist in cervical cancer prevention efforts for 400 women, in collaboration with the Guatemalan Ministry of Health and Dr. Carlso Fabrizio Palma. The cost to participate is $800, which covers transportation, lodging and meals. Airfare is separate. For more information about Madre y Niño or to get involved, please visit madreynino.org.
Madre y Niño was founded by a dedicated group of nurses and healthcare professionals with strong ties to Texas, and led by Longview resident Deborah Bell, a family practice nurse practitioner.
Other key leaders of Madre y Niño include Kimberly Garcia, a Doctor of Nursing Practice and certified nurse midwife; Michelle Solis, a registered nurse and former lay midwife; Bob Kahn, a journalist and author; and Medina resident Malia Knight, registered nurse.
Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Guatemalan women, with 3.77 million Guatemalan women currently at risk for this potentially fatal cancer. Studies show women feel more comfortable working with midwives, trusted leaders in their communities.
“By empowering these dedicated providers with knowledge and supplies, Madre y Niño is creating a ripple effect that is improving health outcomes in some of the most underserved areas of Guatemala,” Bell said.
For the past five years, Madre y Niño has worked alongside local communities and the Guatemalan Ministry of Health to provide education and essential resources for lay midwives, the primary healthcare providers for most rural births. With a focus on improving maternal and child health, the organization has educated nearly 200 lay midwives through four separate learning sessions.
These sessions have covered vital topics such as recognizing obstetric emergencies, neonatal resuscitation, COVID-19 protocols, and preeclampsia detection—the second leading cause of maternal death in Guatemala. The lay midwives, who are highly respected community leaders despite lacking formal training and supplies, are equipped with life-saving tools, including bulb suctions, Ambu bags, stethoscopes, and blood pressure cuffs, during these sessions.
In addition to educational support, the organization has also delivered essential birth supplies during these sessions, such as exam gloves, umbilical cord clamps, iodine, and soap, ensuring midwives have the tools they need to support safe deliveries.
Madre y Niño has published findings from these sessions in peer-reviewed journals like Birth and Hispanic Health Care International, and presented research at prestigious international conferences, including the International Confederation of Midwives in Bali, Indonesia, and Eurogin in Bilbao, Spain. The organization collaborates with esteemed institutions such as Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and the University of Utah (UU) in these efforts.
Madre y Niño is committed to expanding its reach, both through educational programs for lay midwives and through direct healthcare missions in underserved areas. The organization invites donations, partnerships and volunteers to help support their mission.
Interested parties can contribute by donating funds, purchasing backpacks with birth supplies for lay midwives, buying HPV tests, or volunteering during the organization’s educational sessions or healthcare missions.
Volunteers will assist in cervical cancer prevention efforts for 400 women, in collaboration with the Guatemalan Ministry of Health and Dr. Carlso Fabrizio Palma. The cost to participate is $800, which covers transportation, lodging and meals. Airfare is separate. For more information about Madre y Niño or to get involved, please visit madreynino.org.