In Togo, West Africa, one in 20 babies do not live to see their first birthday but churches are playing a vital role in turning around that devastating statistic.
Compassion UK is working with churches in Togo, one of the least developed countries in the world, to provide many of the maternity services that mothers in the UK take for granted.
Access to maternity care can literally mean the difference between life or death for mothers and their babies in developing countries. By contrast in the UK, where mothers can utilise the NHS for free, only one in 250 babies die in their first year.
The high mortality rate among newborns in Togo is down to a combination of factors, including complications in pregnancy and childbirth, infections, disease and malnutrition.
But underpinning all of these is poverty, because with more than half of the people in Togo living on less than £1.50 a day, many families cannot afford nutritional food or the necessary medical support to see them safely through their pregnancies.
Through its Child Survival projects, Compassion is working with churches to change that by improving pregnant women's access to antenatal check-ups and trained birth attendants.
They can also receive other life-saving assistance like basic healthcare, hygiene, nutritious food and safe water.
Trained community workers at the churches are also on hand to provide mentoring, support and spiritual guidance for families getting ready to welcome a new addition into their midst.
This includes teaching parents how to prepare nutritious food, monitor their children's health and development, build a stable home life and learn the skills that can help them generate an income.
To bring the Child Survival projects to more communities, Compassion has launched the Different Path Appeal.
Each donation made to the appeal before 24 June 2019 will be matched by the Department for International Development, enabling more families to be helped.
Justin Dowds, CEO of Compassion UK said: "Poverty can have a devastating impact on both a child's chances of survival and their long-term development.
"To prevent women and babies dying needlessly, we have to reach them early – before babies have even been born – and support women with essential antenatal checkups and support at birth.
"The generous funding from the UK government will allow us to transform the lives of even more families in Togo, ensuring their health and wellbeing."
International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said: "Our brilliant NHS means UK parents get access to some of the best maternity healthcare in the world, but in Togo the reality for expectant mothers is very different – one in every 20 babies don't make it to their first birthday.
"The Different Path UK Aid Match appeal will work to change this, providing the basic maternal healthcare that will see more children across the country reach adulthood and realise their potential.
"UK Aid Match will double every pound which the British public donates to this campaign, meaning their generosity will go twice as far."
Ama, 35, is one of the mothers to have benefited from registering with the Child Survival project. She says that in the past, she was not able to access regular hospital check-ups.
After joining the Child Survival project, she was able to go to the hospital when she needed to.
"The biggest benefit was medicines, medical fees and prenatal checks. After I delivered, we received soap and many other stuffs for the child," she said.
"Now I have peace of mind," she added.
Koffi Ahonon, from Compassion Togo, said that working with local staff in churches was key to understanding the specific challenges faced by communities.
"Through this approach, we address the root causes of poverty to positively impact the lives of children, families and communities," he said.
"We also connect vulnerable women with a broader network of support where they can develop their self-esteem, learn to build stable relationships and make good choices for themselves and their children."
To donate £10, text TOGO to 70660 (view terms & conditions) or by visiting www.compassionuk.org/differentpath.
