This year, Maluk Timor equipped 10 community birth attendants (CBAs) with partus wheels for use in their rural communities. We are excited to train another 10 and distribute the remaining wheels when travel conditions allow.
A partus wheel is a low-cost, manually-operated tool that helps anyone estimate when a pregnancy is due. With a little teaching, women can use this tool to estimate their due date: this helps them plan for a healthy, safe delivery at a health facility with a skilled doctor, nurse or midwife.
We are so proud of our Women’s Health and Social Care team for persisting in reaching partners in rural communities despite disruptions from COVID-19 and floods.
A special shout–out to the team at Holy Cow! Creative for their pro bono contribution to this project. They cheerfully took our pixelated sketches and turned them into a clear, sharp, visually attractive tool, complete with built-in instructions in the Tetun language.
These partus wheels will help women to be more informed about their pregnancies, and empowered to make good healthcare choices.