On the afternoon of 20 July 2018, Aiva turned up at Waima Health Sub-Centre with birth pains. Later that night she delivered twin healthy baby boys.

This was Aiva’s fourth pregnancy and second delivery at a health centre with a trained health professional.

“Although I was surprised to have two babies, I’m glad it was here at the clinic and not at home as I know they will be ok,” Aiva said.

Aiva hails from Waima village in a remote part of Central Province in Papua New Guinea.

Women in her village often walk for hours to the nearest health facility to give birth and endure the 180km ride to Port Moresby if they have complications during childbirth.

Papua New Guinea has some of the world’s highest rate of deaths in childbirth. Many mothers have no choice but to give birth at home, with the help of untrained relatives or traditional birth attendants.

Women living in Aiva’s village, where ChildFund PNG works, often have to walk several kilometres to the closest health clinic, which has two trained health workers and limited facilities.

If the clinic is closed, they must travel 24km to the closest district health centre. Women usually have to hire costly taxis, which are few and far between in remote communities, to make this journey. This can end in tragedy.

This year, thousands of generous Australians donated a combined almost $250,000 to ChildFund’s appeal to help mothers like Aiva and her babies in Papua New Guinea.

Australians also sent cards of support to women in PNG, a kind gesture that brought tears to the eyes of many expectant mothers in remote villages in PNG.

“Thank you to all our neighbours in Australia who are supporting us and have sent us these cards,” expectant mother Aiba said.

“It’s so nice to know that someone I’ve never meant is thinking of me and my baby. Thank you.”