Midwives @ the Edges
The why

Every 2 minutes, a woman dies as a result of pregnancy or childbirth. The children she leaves behind face a significantly higher risk of dying before their 5th birthday.

Sources: WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank, UNDESA (2023); UNICEF — Maternal Health.

Almost 95% of these deaths happen in low- and lower-middle-income countries — low-resource, conflict-affected, remote, and nomadic communities we call the edges. Most can be prevented with midwifery care. The world is short an estimated 900,000 midwives. We exist to close that gap.

But training midwives in skills and knowledge alone will not result in community change. For that to happen, the midwives must be spiritually healthy in addition to having knowledge and skills. Spiritually healthy midwives are able to continue the work long-term and move each family served toward shalom health. When a family experiences physical, mental, and spiritual health, their community is positively affected.

Mission & Vision

Our Mission

To reduce maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity globally, while making shalom health — spiritual, physical, and emotional health — a reality, and leveraging faith-based communities to bring this to fruition.

We pursue this mission by:

  • Networking birth workers (foreign- and locally-trained) who are living at the edges, agencies who enable foreign-trained midwives to live there, schools who train midwives equipped to work in low-resource settings, and other interested parties.
  • Catalyzing and supporting skilled midwives to live, be in relationship, work, and replicate at the edges.
  • Equipping local health systems by stepping up to the plate to train more skilled midwives and honor traditional birth attendants by teaching life-saving skills.
  • Adding to the evidence base regarding efficacy of midwifery care and working to establish best practices.
  • Living, loving, and entering into every culture as learners.

Our vision, looking forward

In less than 30 years, Midwives @ the Edges will significantly contribute to lessening the shortage of midwives — with a workforce that is well trained, compassionate, and spiritually and emotionally healthy. Global health systems will be revolutionized.