Midwives

Although Cambodia today is enjoying peace and stability, the country is still recovering from war, displacement and the massive depletion of its human resource base during the Khmer Rouge period. Health indicators in Cambodia are poor compared to the rest of Southeast Asia. Often, illness and death occur from conditions that are preventable or treatable.

The maternal mortality rate in 2000 was 437 per 100,000 live births and each year approximately 46,000 infants die in Cambodia. VSO volunteers are supporting the implementation of new reproductive health services as they are introduced and as a maternal and child health adviser you’ll strengthen the provision of a life-saving maternal healthcare programme in Kratie Province.

What does the role involve?

• Addressing weaknesses of the existing mother and child health programme by providing support and training to health centre staff
• Working with Health Department staff to strengthen the routine supervision of health centres to ensure that weaknesses are identified and addressed
• Supporting the Health Department in the planning and reviewing of their mother and child health activities
• Training health centre midwifes in effective patient communication to deliver appropriate health and nutrition education
• Assessing specific training needs of health centre midwives and other healthcare staff and provide training as necessary

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll need to be a registered midwife with extensive training and management experience. Excellent communication and team working skills are essential and knowledge of basic nutrition would be an advantage. As with all VSO placements you’ll need to be patient, flexible and realistic about what can be achieved in a constraint health system. A good sense of humour is important and you’ll be travelling around the province by motorbike (VSO will provide training), so a sense of adventure would be an advantage.

And the rest...

Cambodia is a small country in Southeast Asia, bordered in the west by Thailand, in the east by Vietnam and in the north by Laos. Most of the country’s area is flat and only 10-30 meters above sea level. You’ll be based in the small and idyllic town of Kratie on the Mekong, one of the world’s major rivers, running from Tibet through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. The friendly town is dominated by a busy market place surrounded by charming French colonial houses. Kratie is also home to the rare Irrawaddy river dolphins that can be spotted early mornings or late afternoons from a viewing platform nearby. The local market offers an extensive variety of fresh fruit, vegetables and fish and Cambodia produces some excellent coffee.

Indonesia is still suffering from the aftermath of the Asian economic crisis of the late 1990s. The gradual progress the government had made in improving the health status of the nation was suddenly reversed with almost a quarter of Indonesia’s vast and growing population currently living below the poverty line. Decline in income has reduced families’ access to health and other social services with women being particularly disadvantaged.

Belu District has been set the ambition target to achieve ‘Healthy Belu District 2010’, which is part of a national programme to provide adequate health services to the whole population. The main health problems identified in the district are high maternal and infant mortality rates and malnutrition. As a maternal and child health educator you’ll help health workers in the field to improve maternal and child healthcare services at community level.

What does the role involve?

• Evaluating existing maternal and health care services on the ground
• Developing and implementing an activity plan based on the results of this evaluation
• Training and mentoring government health workers through workshops and on-the-job training
• Accompanying and advising government health workers in handing emergency cases related to pregnancy
• Exploring potential relationships with other organisations to complement capacity building and knowledge sharing

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll need to be a registered midwife with least three years’ experience as a midwife practitioner, preferably at community level. A background in public health and knowledge of nutrition would be advantageous. Patience and flexibility are also important as you’ll be working with limited resources and will need to get used to a slower pace of working. You’ll be travelling around from community to community by motorbike (we will provide training), so a sense of adventure is also desirable.

And the rest...

Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago and the fifth most populous country, with 17,700 islands stretching 5,120 kilometres (3,200 miles) between Australia and the Asian mainland. It’s a tropical country with high humidity, a dry season from May to October and a wet season from November to April.

You’ll be based in Belu District on Timor island. The island is rural and very green with scattered tranquil villages and stunning beaches. You’ll be provided with simple and secure accommodation with running water, electricity and cooking facilities.

Indonesia has seen great turmoil in recent years, having faced the Asian financial crisis, the fall of President Suharto after 32 years in office, and a devastating tsunami. One major challenge Indonesia is striving to combat is gender inequality. In some parts of the country there have been positive changes for women, however there is still much work to be done.

Maternal health is much worse in Indonesia than comparable countries in the region. A skilled birth attendant attends only 72 per cent of births and the infant mortality rate in the region is 59 per 1000 live births. As a midwife trainer working in the Atambua Public Hospital, you’ll strengthen the quality of training and build the confidence of staff through on the job training and workshops. In addition you’ll share best practice for clinical supervision to improve student learning.

What does the role involve?

• Providing on-the-job training and mentoring for midwives and nurses
• Sharing best practice for clinical supervision and practical skills training to improve learning
• Assessing the quality of existing maternal and child health care in the hospital and developing new initiatives to improve care
• Mentoring students and newly qualified midwives to develop a focus on patient-centred care and building their professional confidence
• Assisting with the day-to-day management of maternal and child health services

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll be a registered midwife with 3-5 years’ post-qualification experience in a hospital or community health setting. Experience of clinical instruction and mentoring, formally or informally, is essential. Knowledge of community health issues in the area of maternal and child health would be beneficial. You’ll possess the ability to lead and motivate a team and be able to facilitate needs assessment and planning processes. You’ll have great interpersonal skills and take the time to listen and learn from colleagues to build strong relationships within the community.

And the rest...

Spread across a chain of thousands of islands between Asia and Australia, Indonesia is ethnically highly diverse, with more than 300 local languages. Indonesia's size, tropical climate, and archipelagic geography, support the world's second highest level of biodiversity.

You’ll be based in the Belu District in West Timor. The area consists of rocky hills and high plateau cut by deep valleys and loose-soiled grassy terrain. The island is rural and verdant with stunning beaches nearby. You’ll be provided with simple and secure accommodation with running water, electricity and cooking facilities.

We’ll ask you to commit to 24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

There has been remarkable progress in consolidating peace and rebuilding the country’s infrastructure since the end of Sierra Leone’s civil conflict in 2002. But there is still a lot to be done, especially with regards to healthcare.

The country is experiencing some of the highest maternal and child mortality rates in the world. Nearly 300 in every 1,000 children die before reaching the age of five, which is partly due to a server shortage of well trained health care staff.  As a midwife at Tonkilili District Hospital you’ll provide clinical instruction and on-the-job training to student midwifes, helping the next generation of midwifes to rebuild Sierra Leone’s maternity services.

What does the role involve?

• Acting as lead midwife in developing and improving the quality obstetric care for women and managing midwifery services
• Training student midwives, and student nurses and midwifery technicians, and providing on the job CPD for local colleagues
• Demonstrating, supervising and assessing midwifery procedures on the ward
• Providing advice and support for complex cases according to your expertise, such as post-op care, high-risk pregnancies such as twin or breech presentation, or family planning, care of under-fives, or mentally ill patients

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll need to be a qualified and registered midwife with at least three years’ post-qualification experience. Experience of mentoring or training others (formally or informally) is essential. As with all VSO placements, you’ll need to be patient and flexible and have the ability to work creatively with limited resources. Above all, you’ll have the commitment to achieving the best possible care for the most disadvantaged Sierra Leonean women, teamed with the tenacity to cope with a challenging clinical environment with high mortality and morbidity rates.

And the rest...

Sierra Leone borders Liberia to the southeast, the Republic of Guinea to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the West. The country has some of the best beaches in the West Africa and you could visit Outamba-Kilimi National Park on a long weekend and spot diverse wildlife such as chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, buffalo, elephants and maybe even lions.

We’ll ask you to commit to 12-24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

Although Malawi has had some successes on its way to the Millennium Development Goals, it still faces challenges on several fronts with major problems in maternal mortality, high HIV and AIDS prevalence rates, gender inequality and hunger. Forty-nine per cent of children under the age of five are chronically malnourished and the maternal mortality rate is on the increase: it’s now estimated to be between 1120 and 1800 per 100 000 live births.

Malawi suffers from an acute shortage of qualified medical workers. VSO is supporting the Ministry of Health in its emergency programme aiming to tackle this human resource crisis. As a teacher at Mzuzu University, you’ll make a tangible contribution to improving care for women and children in northern Malawi by training the next generation of midwives and nurses.

What does the role involve?

• Clinical lecturing, divided between clinic-based instruction and classroom teaching
• Curriculum review and development
• Setting, administering and marking examinations and tests for assessment
• Clinical training and supervising students
• Attending university staff meetings

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll be a registered midwife or nurse with at least five years’ post-qualification work experience. You’ll also need teaching experience at a recognised institution. A masters degree and awareness of practising in an African context are desirable. You’ll need the ability to work with the challenges posed by few resources, and the flexibility to adapt your teaching skills to a new cultural and working environment. You’ll have great interpersonal skills that will help you to build rapport with both students and university management. A positive attitude, patience and strong problem solving skills are vital for this role.

And the rest...

The name Malawi means ‘reflected light’ or ‘bright haze’, a rather suitable description of this land-locked country whose area is one-fifth covered in water. You’ll be based in Mzuzu, the bustling and vibrant capital of northern Malawi. It has a selection of shops including several small super-markets, many hardware stores and a bakery that produces excellent samosas and cream buns. Mzuzu is also close to Nkhata Bay, a beautiful lakeside town, which supplies the fish and is a lovely place for a weekend away.

We’ll ask you to commit to 24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.