Overview
"The midwife is recognised as a responsible and accountable professional who works in partnership with women to give the necessary support, care and advice during pregnancy, labour and the postpartum period, to conduct births on the midwife’s own responsibility and to provide care for the newborn and the infant. This care includes preventative measures, the promotion of normal birth, the detection of complications in mother and child, the accessing of medical care or other appropriate assistance and the carrying out of emergency measures."
"We need midwives, we need midwives, we need midwives. No woman in this world should die giving birth. Giving birth should be a precious and pleasant experience."
Newlife is a Christian missionary midwifery training program that specializes in cross cultural training with a focus on training midwives using an apprenticeship and preceptor model.
In addition, during the past 25 years we have had extensive experience involving church planting, tribal ministry, evangelism, community development, youth adventure programs, agriculture, primary health care, bible school training, etc.
We are a Christian mission organization comprised of missionaries (married couples with families as well as single individuals) and a wonderful group of Filipino Christian workers which numbers approximately 80 individuals who come from a variety of denominational and non-denominational backgrounds.
Most of our students are from the United States and Canada. However, other countries represented include South Africa, England, Denmark, Germany, Jamaica, Ireland, China and Switzerland.
Over 200 midwifery students have been trained at our facility and we've seen our graduates serve in the following countries: Nigeria, Afghanistan, Nepal, India, China, Yemen, Sudan, Cambodia, Haiti, Solomon Islands, Chad, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Indonesia, Zambia, and Pakistan.
Newlife International School of Midwifery is operated as an extension of our birthing center which is the largest charity-based birthing clinic in the Philippines serving almost 20,000 patients (prenatal exams) annually. Our clinic targets local families living in severely impoverished conditions who cannot afford quality health care. All services provided at the clinic are free of charge. We simply desire to show women and their families God's mercy and kindness in a practical way as Jesus taught. The hands-on and deeply relational skill of midwifery is proven to be a powerful avenue to bring God's love and kindness to suffering people.
The entire training is actually done on the mission field in the Philippines where more than 25,000 babies have been delivered at our clinical facility.
Newlife International School of Midwifery is unique in that student tuition fees go directly to fund our clinic. The clinic is self-supported and funded by the tuition of students enrolled in our school. Therefore, knowing that each student's tuition is directly serving impoverished families, enrollment in Newlife International School of Midwifery can be deeply fulfilling. Each student actually functions as a 'missionary' while they are studying at our school located on the mission field.
Newly Expanded Program
We have recently extended our Program from 2 years to 2.5 years in order to provide more emphasis on cross-cultural mission training in addition to midwifery education. This change came about after we surveyed graduates from past years asking if they would suggest adding an additional six months to the normal program which would allow more time to specifically focus on missions training as a separate module aside from midwifery training. The response was overwhelmingly positive in support of the modification. They believed that adding an additional semester would greatly enhance each student's preparation for overseas missions work after they graduated from Newlife School.
Subsequently, the focus of the first semester is language learning, cultural orientation and introduction to midwifery. Students will be enrolled in full time language school for their first two months after they arrive. The third month will focus on cross-cultural training which will involve full immersion while living with and working amongst Filipinos. This foundation of language and culture significantly helps empower and enhance each student's ability to learn midwifery and interact with our patients as a missionary. At the end of the three months students will transition to their midwifery academic program of study. Students will also be given opportunities throughout their training to visit other missionary-based midwifery clinics and participate in rural outreaches.
Saving Lives
For every woman who dies in childbirth, around 20 more suffer injury, infection or disease – approximately 10 million women each year. Most of these deaths are avoidable and could be prevented by having a trained birthing attendant available.
Every minute, at least one woman dies from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth – that means 529,000 women die every year according to the World Health Organization.
The purpose of Newlife International School of Midwifery is to provide the opportunity for students to learn valuable midwifery skills while at the same time making a difference in the world.
"While motherhood is often a positive and fulfilling experience, for too many women it is associated with suffering, ill-health and even death. The major direct causes of maternal morbidity and mortality include haemorrhage, infection, high blood pressure, unsafe abortion, and obstructed labour."
Here in the Philippines for example, only 60% of women give birth with the assistance of a trained and qualified birth attendant. The maternal mortality rate in the Philippines is 120 deaths per 100,000 live births compared to that of 20 deaths in developed nations. 3,000 women die annually from pregnancy related causes in the Philippines. Approximately 33,000 newborns die annually. (Source: WHO updated 2013)
Due to the unique set-up and location of our facility we are well equipped to train midwives to work in developing countries. Each student acquires valuable experience in providing maternal/newborn health care cross-culturally to families living in poverty. We desire that our graduates might consider volunteering for other medical mission organizations working in countries where the need for skilled midwives is so prevalent.
Our Statement of Faith is available upon request.