The Impore Project
About the Impore Project
Founded by Prof. Luk Cannoodt (University hospitals Leuven) and his wife Claudine Mukeshimana. Impore is short for “Improving Maternal and Paediatric Outcome: the Rwandan Experience” but also has a meaning in Kinyarwanda: Mothers will say this word to their children to soothe them when they are in pain.
The project was founded to decrease the number of the maternal and child mortality in Rwanda. Two out of 10 Rwandan children die before the age of 5, and more than half of these will not reach the age of 12 months old. There are only 10 countries in the world that have a higher child mortality rate than Rwanda. With maternal mortalities, the number is also very high: about 1400 fatalities for 100.000 live births in 2005.
The focus of the project so far is on all health care institutions from the Huye district in the South of Rwanda, as well as the 5 new schools of midwifery in Rwanda. In the Huye district there are currently 15 (primary care) health centres (11 public and 4 faith-based) and one district hospital (second level care). Over 90 % of all deliveries occur in the health centers. There are no midwives and there is a shortage of infrastructure, medical and other equipment and medication.
The Impore Project helps to achieve the 2 Millennium Goals (4 and 5) for 2015 by working towards 10 priorities, as set by the health care providers in the district of Huye:
1) Continued education for personnel, working in the maternities
2) Basic medical material for
labour, deliveries and reanimation
3) Ambulances: 1 for each 3 health centres
4) More qualified personnel
5) Sufficient number of rooms for each maternity
6) Training of home visiting personnel (health care promotion)
7) Electricity and water for each health centre
8) Expanding laboratory testing capabilities
& 9) Improving communication
10) More adequate neonatal care in the district hospital
The 10 priorities are working towards achieving 2 of the Millennium Development Goals for 2015 (nr.4 and 5):
MDG 4: Decreasing the number of mortalities of children under the age of 5 in each developing country with at least 2/3 compared to 1990.
MDG 5: Decrease the number of mortalities of mothers during or after labour with at least ¾ compared to 1990.
The The Impore project is working together with several organisations, among which the NGO De Bouworde. Thanks to young volunteers from De Bouworde, two new maternities are currently under construction in the Huye District.
How can you help support The Impore Project?
If you come to one of our fundraisers you get to see a great dance show and also help support The Impore Project as 100% of all profits go straight towards the project. If you buy a Masmoudi T-shirt or a CD during one of our fundraisers, 50% of the profits will also go to The Impore Project. If you would like to help in any other way you can contact me directly.
Past charity fundraisers:
FRIDAY 14th January 2011: Donna Mejia - Latest 7 Music Bar (aka Joogleberry)
Performances by Donna Mejia, Tjarda of the Uzume, Hilde Cannoodt and Masmoudi.
Total amount raised for the Impore Project: £566
