Why do we give Materna Kits to mothers of ​infants living ​in poverty?

We interviewed hundreds of mothers of newborns living in poverty in Central America and this is what we learned...

60% of the mothers that we
interviewed reported that
they experienced significant barriers
to exclusive breastfeeding

79% of the mothers that we
interviewed reported that they
could not afford to consistently
supplement with formula

This is a pressing issue for mothers living in extreme poverty for a many reasons. Mothers of infants living in extreme poverty face thesame challenges that mothers living in more affluent circumstances face – breastfeeding is a huge investment of a mother’s time, physical effort, and emotional capacity.

The difference is that many mothers living in poverty don’t have the same resources to be able to supplement safely – such as access to affordable breast milk substitutes, clean water, and hygienic ways to prepare bottles.

Some of the mothers that we interviewed reported that they had no choice but to supplement with rice water, sugar water, and even cold coffee.

We work to provide each mother with the education and resources necessary to make better decisions related to ​their infants’ nutrition.

Every child deserves the opportunity to begin their life with adequate nutrition.

Adequate infant nutrition is only attainable when mothers are supported in their efforts to feed their babies. 

By providing mothers with a Materna Kit, which includes a manual breast pump, mothers living in poverty are better able to overcome obstacles to exclusive breastfeeding. In addition to the kit, when mothers attend our trainings we provide them with valuable education on infant and maternal health, breast pump usage, breastfeeding support, maternal mental health, and first aid preparedness. 

Each donation of $20 sponsors one Materna Kit and Training for a mother in need. Each Materna Kit is like a mini baby shower in a bag for the mothers we serve.