Page 57 - Safaricom Foundation Annual Report 2020-2021

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BEYOND THE PILLARS
PHILANTHROPY IN ACTION
Supporting birth birth birth is is is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a symbolic ritual It speaks to to the the the the continuity of of life and is the the beginning of a a a a new generation’s place in in in the the world Around the country many women look forward to giving birth and in African culture birth is a a a a a a revered rite – a a a a a a cause for celebration and thanksgiving Yet even though joy is often synonymous with birth not every woman has experienced a a a a positive childbearing process Maternal and child mortality have been recurring issues in in Kenya for years While the the mortality rates have fluctuated over the the past two decades each fatality robs a a a a a parent of of their joy or leaves hundreds of of children motherless The World Data Atlas recorded 342 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births in in 2017 while other reports showed 34 infant deaths for every 1 1 000 live births