Dearest Wombs of the World Community,
Greetings from Ecuador! In September of 2023, I decided to fully invest myself into Wombs of the World, with the intention of ensuring that our existing programs were solid, developing new relationships, and expanding the WotW Foundation. My carbon footprint these last few months has been absolutely atrocious, but the impact has been beautiful. I have a lot to tell you...
The WotW Foundation (our sister 501c3 non-profit) was established in March of 2023 and was more or less sitting there dormant, waiting on me to have the time, space, energy, and mentorship to utilize it. Now many incredible seeds are planted. I have an excellent team of dedicated board members, and volunteers, and we just need money to help all those seeds flourish.
Both the travel branch and the non-profit branch of Wombs of the World share the same roots—the mission to improve maternal health outcomes worldwide by uplifting, educating, and connecting birthworkers.
Mother's Day is right around the corner (Sunday, May 12th, if you need the reminder), and we hope that you will join us in supporting mothers everywhere this year.
Any and all donations are greatly appreciated. (DONATE HERE)
We would love to raise millions of dollars so that we could fully fund maternal health initiatives around the world, but realistically here is what we are aiming to support this year:
$50k to purchase much-needed neonatal equipment for the hospitals in Tanzania. This includes neonatal incubators, baby warmers, and oxygen machines for the NICU (there is no neonatal ICU at the moment, just to be clear). They have also requested rolling beds, delivery packs, dopplers, and ultrasound machines. We could easily invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into these clinics, and in time we intend to, but for now we want to focus on helping distressed babies make it home.
$120k in Ecuador to build a Women's Empowerment House. Our incredible partner here, Martha Arontigo, also known as Partera Di Anaku, is the epitome of a powerhouse. She has not only birthed and raised five children and gone to law school, but has also revived traditional midwifery here in Northern Ecuador. Sacred knowledge is dying with this generation of elder midwives, midwives who have been prosecuted, incarcerated, and outcast for practicing their ancestral indigenous methods.
Martha is amazing because she embraces the evidence-based practices of Western medicine and also recognizes the immense wisdom that comes with these traditional methods. For instance, the women here who are accompanied by midwives during pregnancy have closer to a 90% vaginal birth rate (even if birthing in hospitals) because these midwives know how to position babies- an art that is not taught to OBGYNs or midwives in Western medicine. That is one of many examples.
This Women's Empowerment House will be a birthing house, a safe refuge for women, an education center, a resource center, and a space that will help shift the paradigm of birth and revive the sacred ceremony that is the transition from maiden to mother, person to parent.
The WotW Foundation itself also needs seed money. My vision is literally a revolution, and that requires a skilled and well-paid staff. Our initial goal is $30k to get the ball rolling.
Here is a little video that explains more about the WotW Foundation and our three core objectives if you have another three minutes to watch me ramble about all the things...
We also have a new website dedicated to the WotW Foundation that will explain even more about the projects we are currently working on!
And introduce you to our epic team of Board Members and volunteers. | ||||||||
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Wombs of the World is growing and becoming more international and diverse in programs, participants, and team members. Two big things have been a top priority recently, one the growth of our 501(c)(3) non-profit, and 2, the development of a cultural sensitivity and humility course that will be required for all team members and participants to take prior to travel. Being a diverse team also means having the responsibility to self-reflect. We are doing this to maintain the sacredness of our groups and the connections we make with our partners on the ground. This work is intimate, vulnerable, and transformative, and how we show up in these spaces needs to be reciprocal.
Savioristic thinking is incredible harmful, and many aspects of tourism are also toxic. So how can we build all these new opportunities and broaden the spectrum of exchange of birth knowledge and connect all these global birthworkers with utmost respect, sensitivity, and humility? I don't think I have all the answers, (as answers would be things like everyone going vegan and destroying the patriarchy and eliminating our use of plastic and fossil fuels…), but I am happy to face the questions.
I love travel, and I love birth. I love connecting and supporting women, and I love babies. I want to do this work as best I can, follow the green lights, and always be open to ways to improve and grow. When Wombs of the World first started it was just a side project, to travel with birthworkers and be of service, and it is incredible to see the growth. I am honored, often overwhelmed, and doing my best. Thank you for reading and for being part of all of this.
With Gratitude,
Charlotte
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