In Mae Sot, Thailand, just across the border from Burma, a life-saving clinic is rewriting the story of childbirth for thousands of women who might otherwise be left behind.
Mae Tao Clinic, a long-time partner of Greater Good Charities, is more than a healthcare facility. For women who are refugees, displaced, or living in poverty, it's a lifeline. It’s a place where mothers not only deliver their babies safely, but receive compassionate, culturally informed care and where newborns are welcomed into the world with the promise of a better future.
Since its inception, Mae Tao Clinic has admitted tens of thousands of women for delivery. Many other women have been referred to local hospitals for higher-level care, which was made possible through advocacy and access to low-cost insurance. Despite the challenges many Burmese women face, they can receive free, lifesaving services every day.
Every delivery is attended by skilled midwives working around the clock. These professionals recognize danger signs during labor and act quickly in emergencies, ensuring better outcomes for both mothers and babies. After birth, newborns are enrolled in Thailand’s national immunization program and receive assistance with birth registration - an essential step in opening doors to healthcare, education, and legal protections for the child.
The families who come to Mae Tao Clinic often have no other safe or affordable options. Language barriers, poverty, undocumented and refugee status make traditional hospitals inaccessible. Without Mae Tao Clinic, many of these women would face childbirth alone, at great risk to their lives and the lives of their children.
But here, things are different. Women receive care in their own language, surrounded by people who understand their stories and fight for their futures.
And those stories are powerful. Following are some of the stories Mae Tao Clinic has shared with us over the past few years.
Since 1988, tens of thousands of women have delivered their babies at Mae Tao Clinic, and more than 10% have returned for future births. That’s a testament to the trust and compassion the clinic has built in a region where survival is far from guaranteed.
Every life saved, every child vaccinated, and every mother supported is made possible by a global community of donors who believe that every birth should begin with safety, dignity, and hope.
This Mother’s Day, honor moms around the world by supporting programs like Mae Tao Clinic.