The Canadian International Development recently awarded Cowater, in association with Plan International Canada, McMaster University and the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing, an CAD 18M contract to improve maternal and neonatal health status of poor women, girls and boys. The project, with funding from the Government of Canada, provides technical assistance, equipment, and teaching and learning aids to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to improve the quality of education for nurse midwives and community skilled birth attendants. It also provides support to the Ministry to rationalize the rules for recruiting, posting, promoting and training nurse midwives. The project will work directly with the Directorate of Nursing Services, the Bangladesh Nursing Council and the Human Resource Development Unit of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in Bangladesh.