The Mother and Child Project: Raising Our Voices for Health and Hope

This well-organized, well-written, and well-meaning collection of essays, compiled by a global health promotion agency, provides an overview of problems that affect women and families in the developing world. It analyzes issues associated with lack of family planning and demonstrates benefits to women and societies that have access to it, arguing that mothers and maternal health are one key to strong families, communities, and nations. Contributors include thought and faith leaders such as Jimmy Carter, Desmond Tutu, Nicholas Kristof, and Hillary Clinton; in addition, women from impoverished countries provide their stories. Churches are often first responders in an emergency and have an important role to play on the ground, offering practical help to individuals and addressing faith-based concerns. Both upsetting and inspiring, the essays not only lay out challenges, but also provide many examples of the ways in which women's lives, health, and conditions have been improved, permitting them to help others in turn. Kay Warren provides a foreword, and Melinda Gates contributes a preface. An appendix has contact information for organizations mentioned in the book. (Mar.)