The hero of midwifery

Robin Lim (right) next to the mother and the child happy peace

  "Every day 981 mothers died in the most important moments, when they are doing the most natural thing: a baby. Imagine two 747 jet full of passengers hit the ground every day. It was not front page news in newspapers is it? "
Heaven birth
Scattered light entered blur, mom woke horror that dirty cloth spread on the land space in front of a hospital in Bali, Indonesia. The body is not up all through labor pain after the first 3 days. Elected as milk starts to burst stiffness. But that's not all that important. Young mother's eyes deep-set feeling just a headache only: to meet you. "In this country Indonesia, the hospital kept the child until hospital fees are fully paid in the district everyday," Robin Lim - middle-aged woman with kind face explanation. Some of the more humane place to visit and the mother breast-feeding, changing diapers for children two times a day. If the poor women lucky enough to run so they picked me home. If they are unlucky? They will lose a mother, by the child will be brought up for adoption who have enough money to pay the hospital fees.

 Robin Lim (right) next to the mother and the child happy peace - Photo: CNN
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the income of a middle-class Indonesian family at 8 USD / day. A births often do not have any complications cost an average $ 70. If a caesarean section, that number could reach more than $ 700. Just enough data that shows about the poor woman has no money to pay hospital fees common to any degree. The status of hospital fees are too high relative to income has contributed significantly to the excessively high mortality in both women and infants in the country of thousands islands. "The situation is very bad ... Children are neglected, the birth being commercialized, maternal haemorrhage die because there was not enough money to get medical care," she explains Lim.
"Let the mothers were disengaged but are worried about their children are born healthy or not, not only captured their minds overwhelmed by one thing: Get the money to pay hospital fees where a baby? ". With that, Ms. Lim has founded two free maternity house in Bali in 2003 and Aceh (Indonesia) in 2004. Local people used to call her mother Lim. More than 5,000 children born in the security and safety of her birth, and mothers who come here are assured through labor, no less fragrant with babies about to be home or not. Ms. Lim's maternity house is a haven for poor birth mothers life.

 "The mothers and children has taught me to understand that this world is worthy to be protected" - Robin Lim - Photo: Shutterstock
Super stars and prostitutes
The very heaven full of prostitutes to the children that earned her the title of hero Lim in 2011, CNN's media, which voted by the public through the company. Accepted the award, the tears rolling down that kind face of the woman I had seen how 8 Hi no one in his life: "Today, in this world, 981 mothers will lose their lives. today and tomorrow as well so you will not either. I earnestly call on everyone to help change that. We still do not know how many children have lost, but we all can help this change. " Before, when I got a call from CNN reported she had made the hero is a list of 10 most votes, Lim did not believe that in her "own mother had just given birth in the narrow dark room dimly on this planet is the real hero. "
This is the 5th consecutive year, broadcaster CNN poll held the title of Hero of the Year honors ordinary citizens have contributed to changing the world through their own contributions to society. This title for the public to vote for 11 consecutive weeks. With Hero of the Year award, Robin Lim is awarded $ 250,000, for an ideal which she is pursuing. In addition, she will join nine others in the top 10 heroes list the most votes of the CNN split $ 50,000 bonus.Witnessing so many poor women who are not considered human, Lim proposed a steel discipline with all of its medical staff: "rock star or prostitutes are treated as VIPs by please be considerate and respect ". While 80% of patients do not pay a penny Lim, occasionally celebrities and giving birth to this charity hospital.
"Restructuring" life
Becoming a midwife and lived in Indonesia is not unexpected turns in the life of the plan Lim. As an American citizen with homes in the beautiful island of Hawaii, is also the author of numerous bestsellers on infant and maternal care, Lim was "programmed" the other options available, more comfortable much for his own life. "Within a year, I had lost my best friend in life, is also one of the midwives had delivered to me. My sister also go due to complications in the births of her 3. The child no longer. I was very hurt. But I decided not to get angry. I decided to become part of the solution. If I can help just one family prevent the loss of a mother or only one child, I will do that. "
So Lim and her husband sold their home in Hawaii, moved the family to live in Bali to "restructure" their lives. For Lim, it was a natural choice because Indonesia is where her father was stationed at each service in the U.S. military - that time she grew up in nearby country Philippines. For her, Asia is the happiest place to live. In 2003, with contributions from friends around the world, the couple she had opened the first maternity house in Bali, Yayasan Bumi Sehat named. When the terrible tsunami that swept through Aceh in 2004, a less than maternity house is open right here to care for women who had nothing in hand, where most hospitals have empty or mere rubble. Working in such conditions is certainly not easy, but at the maternity house of Lim, all the doctors and midwives have been prepared for the situation without any means of support in hand. For example, they learned how to burn instead of cutting the umbilical cord, because if not sterile scissors, the child at risk of tetanus. Also by then, even without electricity, no water, Lim gave his staff to locations other earthquakes in Indonesia, even as far as Haiti to receive the new life safely between the rubble.