Mauritania: Pregnant migrants dying, leaving babies in care of religious sisters

Source: Aid to the Church in Need

Pregnant migrant women in Mauritania are dying during childbirth and without care from religious Sisters, their babies would die too.

Sister Marie-Ange Ndayishimiye, who leads the Welcome Office at St Joseph's parish in the capital Nouakchott, told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN): "When migrants arrive in Nouakchott, they find themselves homeless, jobless, and destitute."

St Joseph's is one of only two Catholic churches in the Muslim country.

The Sisters offer care to people who, running from conflict, violence and financial difficulties in neighbouring countries, arrive with nothing.

Sister Marie-Ange added: "We have had more than six people suffering from depression - these patients run away, disappear and sometimes leave small children behind. We are also seeing an increase in deaths among pregnant women during or after childbirth, leaving behind babies to whom we give milk, clothes, mosquito nets and nappies."

She said often migrants are women - both Catholic and Muslim - seeking safety while their husbands continue to more developed countries. They include pregnant women and mothers carrying children.

But until any of them can support themselves financially, the Sisters give them food and hygiene kits.

Sister Marie Ange added: "We are a little overwhelmed by migrants who can no longer work and who must survive solely on aid. Too many pregnant women to rescue, some give birth by caesarean section, families to be cared for and fed."

The World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR) takes place on 4th and 5th October.

Organised by the Catholic Church WDMR encourages prayers and concern for all people on the move, including those fleeing war or persecution.

ACN has a long history of providing emergency assistance to refugees and displaced people, dating back to 1947 and has helped the Sisters at St Joseph's Welcome Office to not only support migrants but also to train lay people.

As well as food and medicine, staff at the Welcome Office listen and respond to people and provide urgent support including housing.

Pastoral programmes at the office help people deepen their faith and grow in confidence. The office also encourages small business initiatives with microcredits, fosters literacy groups where Catholic and Muslim women learn together, and all migrants seeking work receive guidance.

Migrants from French-speaking countries can communicate more easily than those from English-speaking countries who may need additional support.

Sister Marie Ange said: "We entrust ourselves to your prayers and remain hopeful for a better change in the current situation."

LINK

Aid to the Church in Need: https://acnuk.org