1. Context & Motivation
In Chopelwor, access to maternal healthcare remains a daily challenge. Long distances, limited transport options, and under-resourced facilities mean many women give birth without skilled medical support, increasing risks for both mothers and newborns. The nearest larger town is approximately 10 km away—often reachable only on foot. Through years of close collaboration with the community, women and families have clearly expressed the need for nearby, reliable maternal care. This project responds to that need by bringing essential services closer to where people live.
2. Objectives
The project aims to improve access to safe, respectful, and affordable maternal healthcare. In the short term, it will establish a functional maternity ward offering delivery, prenatal, and postnatal services. In the long term, it seeks to strengthen local healthcare capacity, support financial self-sufficiency through fair user fees, and contribute to healthier outcomes for women, newborns, and families in the region. The initiative also promotes local ownership and sustainable development of healthcare services.
3. Current Activities
Since completing the evaluation phase in September 2025, the project has moved into a collaborative design stage. Together with local partners, on-site coordination and design workshops have helped translate community needs into a practical maternity ward concept. SIVERA led field activities, including administrative coordination and knowledge exchange with HKS Architects, drawing on experience from similar projects in Uganda.
The planned facility (approx. 7 × 17 m) will include a delivery room, postnatal ward, pharmacy, storage, and shaded veranda. The design prioritizes safe medical workflows, natural ventilation, and climate-responsive construction. Rainwater harvesting and simple, durable systems are integrated. Current efforts focus on finalizing the layout, WASH and energy concepts, and cost estimation.
4. Expected Impact
Once completed, the maternity ward is expected to serve around 50 mothers per month, significantly improving access to safe childbirth services. Women will benefit from continuous care before, during, and after delivery in a dignified and supportive environment. The project will reduce preventable health risks, strengthen trust in local healthcare services, and ease the burden of travel for families. By building on an existing clinic and supporting financial sustainability, it contributes to long-term, community-centered healthcare resilience.
5. How to Get Involved & Next Steps
The next phase focuses on finalizing the design, securing funding, and preparing for construction. Individuals, partners, and organizations can support the project through financial contributions, technical expertise, or by helping raise awareness. Collaboration opportunities are open for those interested in sustainable healthcare, engineering, and community development. By joining efforts, supporters can play a direct role in improving maternal health access and strengthening locally driven solutions.
Project Progress
Unterstütze dieses Projekt direkt über TWINT – scanne oder klicke auf den QR-Code.
Geben Sie bei Spenden bitte Ihre Kontaktdaten (Name, Adresse, Email oder Telefonnummer) an, sowie eine Nachricht, falls Ihre Spende für einen spezifischen Zweck eingesetzt werden soll und Sie eine Spendenbestätigung wünschen.
Ingenieure Ohne Grenzen Schweiz ist bereits von den meisten Schweizer Kantonen (ZH, BE, LU, SZ, OW, NW, GL, FR, BS, BL, SH, AI, AG, NE, GE) als gemeinnützige Organisation anerkannt (Registrierung bei restlichen Kantonen ist anstehend). Dabei lassen sich i.d.R. Spenden ab CHF 100,- (abhängig vom Kanton) von der Steuererklärung abziehen. Eine Spendenbestätigung wird von uns nach Erhalt Ihrer Spende erstellt.