Giving Birth in the Developing World

Most Papuan women still give birth with traditional methods in a traditional Papuan house made of wood with a grass bed. They prefer to give birth at home because they are also afraid of the service from health workers who are not always friendly. Many believe that it is more efficient to give birth at home alone or with help of someone who lives nearby.

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What Impact Does Access to Clean Water Have on a Community?

No one would think people who live in an area rich in natural resources would have a problem getting water. But for many years, struggling to find fresh water was a way of life in Meagama Village in Papua, Indonesia’s largest province.

Longstanding agreements with other villages limited the sources where each community could draw water. For the villagers of Meagama, accessing water meant a two-hour journey on foot. Because they usually used a bucket to transport their water, obtaining enough water to meet their needs often required several trips.

woman carrying pail of water on head

But the difficulties didn’t stop there; the water the Meagama people put so much effort into getting actually caused them harm.

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