Volunteering for MOMS
Results of war
Women missing limbs
Women missing limbs
Sierra Leone mother
Results of war are still
very apparent
Results of war are still
very apparent
Midwives on Missions of Service
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MOMS depends on volunteer efforts.
Volunteering for MOMS is rewarding. You are helping people who need it most, which
feels - and is - wonderful. In addition, you are joining a group of people that will
enrich your life.
Our volunteers vary considerably along every dimension of diversity: age, gender and
gender roles, social background, employment history, politics, and religion. This
creates a rich family who is united by a commitment to serving and educating
marginalized women and bringing about improvement in maternity care.
Volunteering for MOMS is rewarding. You are helping people who need it most, which
feels - and is - wonderful. In addition, you are joining a group of people that will
enrich your life.
Our volunteers vary considerably along every dimension of diversity: age, gender and
gender roles, social background, employment history, politics, and religion. This
creates a rich family who is united by a commitment to serving and educating
marginalized women and bringing about improvement in maternity care.
How we choose volunteers:
- Constantly evaluate the current needs to identify gaps
- Discuss abilities and interests of volunteers to find the best matches
- Discuss a volunteer's commitment to the mission and philosophy of MOMS
- Offer relevant roles
What about Midwifery Interns?
While we do include interns in our work, they must meet stringent criteria. They must
already have considerable academic and practical experience. They must have
characteristics, like resilience and flexibility, that make them good candidates for
working in a remote area in a different culture. Interns may not work for MOMS with
women who lack choices until they gain experience with women who have freely
chosen them as a care-provider. They must be able to teach or conduct community
development activities.
Our volunteers in Sierra Leone must ensure they...
Or, to put it negatively: We avoid people who have religious or political goals for the
trip, want a vacation or to explore Africa, want support from MOMS, or have more
interest in gaining experience than in using their skills to serve.
Interns will seldom act as midwife at a birth, but teach and oversee others.
Want to volunteer?
If this sounds like something you want to do, go through this website in detail to get
clear on MOMS' approach, philosophy, and people. Carefully review the information in
the links to Sierra Leone web sites. Then email us. We'll be glad to have you on
board!
While we do include interns in our work, they must meet stringent criteria. They must
already have considerable academic and practical experience. They must have
characteristics, like resilience and flexibility, that make them good candidates for
working in a remote area in a different culture. Interns may not work for MOMS with
women who lack choices until they gain experience with women who have freely
chosen them as a care-provider. They must be able to teach or conduct community
development activities.
Our volunteers in Sierra Leone must ensure they...
- are in harmony with MOMS' goals and methods
- are in good shape physically and emotionally
- can gather support for their own activities
- have demonstrated teaching, midwifery, or community development skills
Or, to put it negatively: We avoid people who have religious or political goals for the
trip, want a vacation or to explore Africa, want support from MOMS, or have more
interest in gaining experience than in using their skills to serve.
Interns will seldom act as midwife at a birth, but teach and oversee others.
Want to volunteer?
If this sounds like something you want to do, go through this website in detail to get
clear on MOMS' approach, philosophy, and people. Carefully review the information in
the links to Sierra Leone web sites. Then email us. We'll be glad to have you on
board!
What volunteers do:
- Raising funds and gathering supplies
- Conducting operational activities: writing grants, preparing newsletters,
researching options, and many other support activities - Preparing instructional material
- Training and administering the training programs
What are the criteria?
We are all professionals, skilled in our fields. Volunteers are not amateurs. All
must have the expertise that enables them to work in a professional capacity. The
government of Sierra Leone set standards for anyone who wants to work in a clinic or
teach. We submit the credentials of our volunteers for approval before each trip.
So we require education, training, and experience appropriate to the role. For
example, trainers must know how to train well: Perhaps they have taken classes in
training, have a degree in education, or have experience as highly rated trainers in
schools or corporations.
We require maturity. Consider: If you not seen the squalor of poverty, you will
spend a lot of energy overcoming your fear and distaste. If you've not used buckets
for bathing, cooked over a fire, and squatted to relieve yourself, you must learn these
skills. If you've not watched someone die a preventable death, you must find your
internal resources for handling these difficulties. Will you take malaria prophylactics -
every day? Will you drink only safe water - no matter how thirsty you are or how
much you want to identify with the people? Will you maintain boundaries, and avoid
romantic or sexual relationships?
You need emotional resilience and creativity - and MOMS must know you have these
attributes, before we leave the US. You can create difficult, if not disastrous,
situations, which require team leadership to try to rescue you and cost MOMS our
reputation and money. In some cases, a lack of discipline can cost your health or life.
We are all professionals, skilled in our fields. Volunteers are not amateurs. All
must have the expertise that enables them to work in a professional capacity. The
government of Sierra Leone set standards for anyone who wants to work in a clinic or
teach. We submit the credentials of our volunteers for approval before each trip.
So we require education, training, and experience appropriate to the role. For
example, trainers must know how to train well: Perhaps they have taken classes in
training, have a degree in education, or have experience as highly rated trainers in
schools or corporations.
We require maturity. Consider: If you not seen the squalor of poverty, you will
spend a lot of energy overcoming your fear and distaste. If you've not used buckets
for bathing, cooked over a fire, and squatted to relieve yourself, you must learn these
skills. If you've not watched someone die a preventable death, you must find your
internal resources for handling these difficulties. Will you take malaria prophylactics -
every day? Will you drink only safe water - no matter how thirsty you are or how
much you want to identify with the people? Will you maintain boundaries, and avoid
romantic or sexual relationships?
You need emotional resilience and creativity - and MOMS must know you have these
attributes, before we leave the US. You can create difficult, if not disastrous,
situations, which require team leadership to try to rescue you and cost MOMS our
reputation and money. In some cases, a lack of discipline can cost your health or life.
Bridge
Typical bridge over one
of many streams
Typical bridge over one
of many streams
Ferry between airport
and Freetown
The trip takes about an
hour
and Freetown
The trip takes about an
hour
Welcoming dance
TBAs, head TBA, and
"devil" dance to welcome
us home to Pellie
TBAs, head TBA, and
"devil" dance to welcome
us home to Pellie
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Documents for Volunteers
You can download these documents:
Information for Volunteers
Volunteer Application
Volunteer Waiver
You can download these documents:
Information for Volunteers
Volunteer Application
Volunteer Waiver
Riding the bus
Chris and Jitta take the
bus across the country
from Freetown to Kenema
Chris and Jitta take the
bus across the country
from Freetown to Kenema