Every DROP Helps

According to the International Development Committee, in South Sudan, a woman is more likely to die giving birth than to finish school. For a group of students at St Andrews, that statistic is not something to read and forget — it is something to change.

That urgency is what drove Myada Eltiraifi, a recent St Andrews graduate with roots in Sudan, to create DROP, a student project tackling maternal mortality one safe birth at a time. Started in 2020 and expanded through Enactus St Andrews in 2022, the initiative channels student fundraising into birth-assistance kits for mothers in the Mangalla IDP Camp, South Sudan.

“Mothers in Sudan aren’t given the appreciation they deserve or the support,” she explains. “The idea is to give back to my community and reduce maternal mortality.”

Years of civil war have left South Sudan’s healthcare system shattered. Hospitals were destroyed, roads became impassable, and millions were forced into displacement camps where access to midwives or sterile equipment is almost non-existent. The country now has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world, at more than 1,200 deaths per 100,000 live births — a figure that gives weight to Eltiraifi’s motivation.

DROP raises money through bake sales, music nights, and community events in St Andrews. The funds are then sent directly to James Lual Akech, a midwife working on the ground in South Sudan. Akech uses the funds to buy local supplies and assemble “Mama Kits” — bundles of items that can be used to support mothers in childbirth when they cannot reach a hospital. Each kit contains gloves, soap, a baby towel, reusable sheets, an apron, a cotton roll, a biodegradable bucket, a cord clamp, and a reusable pad. For many mothers, these items can be the difference between life and death, not only for themselves but also for their babies.

Akech also runs workshops for mothers and families on how to deliver a baby safely at home, helping to build community engagement. “They don’t just hand them out,” Eltiraifi explains. “They teach mothers, friends, and husbands what to do if they can’t reach a hospital.”

The project has already had a measurable impact: “Since our creation two years ago, we’ve delivered 128 packages,” Eltiraifi says. “That’s 256 lives affected”. Each kit costs around £40, enough to provide clean tools and education for one safe delivery. It is the price of attending a ball in St Andrews, but it can save two lives. 

The next stage of the project focuses on growth and storytelling. The team is developing a “Sponsor a Package” website and new partnerships with local businesses in St Andrews, such as Fisher and Donaldson, to make funding more sustainable. Laura French, DROP’s project lead, described plans for an upcoming documentary screening series, educating local students about global women’s health. Internationally, DROP is collaborating and working with other women’s health NGOs, creating partnerships that will allow further collaboration and awareness in the future. Their team is currently in the process of proposing a documentary in South Sudan, allowing them to shed light on the complicated situation on the ground. 

From bake sales and quizzes to community education, DROP continues to transform student creativity into life-saving care. With greater institutional backing, projects like DROP could amplify St Andrews’ impact far beyond the town’s borders. In a world where global crises can feel distant and insurmountable, the students behind DROP prove that even small communities can drive real change — one kit, one mother, one newborn at a time.

Illustration by Isabelle Holloway