Background:

In the course of the International Women’s Day 2021 on 08 March, we were informed of urgent needs from Mali. Mali’s rural regions lack medical infrastructure and technology. The hardest hit are young, disadvantaged, pregnant women, whose situation has been exacerbated by the Corona crisis and subsequent unemployment. Complications and high-risk pregnancies are commonplace. Specifically, we received a request for a mobile ultrasound scanner for pregnancy diagnostics. The treating gynecologist Mr. Sissoko was ready, he only lacked the technique.

Donation campaign via the GoFundMe platform

We therefore decided to take action without further ado and contacted the Technologie Transfer Marburg e.V.(TTM Marburg) association, which was able to provide us with a suitable mobile ultrasound device at short notice. We then financed the costs for the device and transportation with the help of 46 donors via the GoFundMe platform.

Thus, due to the great willingness to donate, 4,497€ were collected within two weeks.

Device in use on day 1

After transport of the device to Mali at the end of March 2021 and the official receipt by the local doctors, the device could be used directly. On the very first day after the arrival of the device, a young woman in an acute medical crisis was diagnosed by the device and subsequently adequately treated. The medical emergency was such that the young woman’s diagnosis prevented serious complications and she survived. This one incident alone shows how difficult the health situation on site is and at the same time how quickly, unbureaucratically and immediately concrete help can be organized.

We would therefore like to once again thank all donors who have enabled us as an organization to literally save lives on the ground and protect countless other women and their children from serious complications.