What is Pregnancy Twinning?

Pregnancy Twinning is a charity scheme launched in Feb 2015, operated by Chasing Zero and in conjunction with Tearfund and partner organisations in Malawi. The idea is that individuals or groups in the UK pay a cost of £40, only £1 per week of pregnancy, to ‘twin’ themselves with a pregnant mother in Malawi, providing visits by a locally trained women (known as mother buddies), access to HIV treatment and transport into hospital. The idea is that with each ‘twinning’ another mum and baby are given a better chance at life.

Why is Pregnancy Twinning needed?

Women in Malawi are 60 times more likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth than women in the UK. HIV/AIDS is still a huge problem in countries such as Malawi where 1 in 7 women are living with HIV and by helping mums access anti­retroviral treatment we can work towards the goal of a generation born HIV free.

Where exactly does my £40 go?

Your donation goes to pay to support one pregnant woman in the community for:

It works out at £1 per week, so £40 provides 40 weeks of support for one woman, covering her whole pregnancy – and yours. Money also goes towards costs such as training the mother buddies and paying for staff, without key ‘admin’ bits like this the scheme would not be able to run. We want to be as open about where the money goes as possible so if you have any questions please feel free to get in touch.

How does the process work?

A donor goes onto our website and chooses clicks one of the options to support a pregnancy and decides whether they want it delivered by email (£42 to include admin) or posted as a pack (£44.95 incl P&P). This donation is made via PayPal and you will immediately receive an email from certificates@pregnancytwinning.org with your Twinning Card which details of the pregnant woman you are ‘twinned’ with, a woman we’ve identified as needing extra support in her pregnancy. A few months later when your twin gives birth we send a second photograph with both mum and baby.

Is Pregnancy Twinning a charity?

No, we’re a scheme operated by the UK registered charity Chasing­ Zero (charity number 114344). Chasing Zero were established in 2012 with a vision to eliminate HIV related deaths by 2030. A huge element of this is preventing parent to child transmission which is why they began to work in maternal health in some of the countries where HIV is most prevalent in sub-saharan Africa.

Who are the mother buddies?

Mother buddies are Pregnancy Twinning’s feet on the ground. They are locally trained mums providing peer support and they pre-date Pregnancy Twinning as Chasing Zero originally trained these volunteers mums as mentors who would visit and advise families on how to stop Parent to Child transmission of HIV. This vital work has been retained and expanded as we’ve included the other elements of the Pregnancy Twinning programme such as transport and antenatal care advice. We’ve started working with father buddies too!

What countries does Pregnancy Twinning operate in?

Currently we are working in Malawi in the south in villages near Blantrye and in the North in Mzuzu, Thoza and Ecwendeni. We also have a pilot taking place in Sierra Leone.

Who can sponsor a pregnancy?

If you are pregnant or have been or have a partner who is or has been or think you might be one day, or even are the result of a pregnancy then you might consider sponsoring a pregnancy through Pregnancy Twinning. You can sponsor as a group or class or on behalf of someone else and we’ll send you the details and photo of the family that you have helped to give the best start in life.

Can I give this as a gift?

Absolutely! You can twin someone else’s pregnancy and we can send the card and certificate straight to them. We’ll enclose a letter to let them know their pregnancy has been twinned.

There are two ways to do this, either twinning their pregnancy which for obvious reasons could They’ll hear from us twice (by email or post). Firstly with a Twinning Card as soon as you’ve completed the form above which will give them details about the family they’re paired with and then again in due time with a certificate showing Mum and Baby who you’ve helped to support on their behalf.

 

What will I receive?

You’ll get a Twinning Card and Pregnancy Twinning Birth Certificate!

Will I hear about my twin?

In return for your support, you will immediately receive details about your ‘twinned’ expectant mum in Malawi on a Twinned card and after she has delivered her baby you will receive a Pregnancy Twinning Certificate (by post or email), which includes a photo of mum and baby, who have been supported through pregnancy and childbirth by our Pregnancy Twinning programme.

Why is Pregnancy Twinning a great cause to support?

Just in case the Ts and Cs were making you drift off here’s a nice questions with our 5 favourite reasons:

1) It’s tangible, it’s personal and it works

2) The idea is contagious, supporters don’t only want to help, they spread the word for us reaching a wider audience than we could alone.

3) We all come from pregnancies, it’s universal so we can all understand the cause and where the money is going

4) Value – amidst all the items needed you acquire when you’re expecting, this life giving offer is cheaper than most prams.

5) The framed certificate acts as a reminder, cementing the impact of the gift and works well displayed in corporate settings.