Hello First name / friend,
 

We are so proud that our Birth Center stands as a beacon of safety and compassion in our community for expectant mothers, providing a welcoming environment aimed at meeting their needs. Equipped with exceptional Nurse Midwives and Traditional Midwives, we prioritize the health and well-being of both mother and baby, ensuring that every birth experience is safe and supportive. Our center not only offers comprehensive prenatal and postnatal care but also emphasizes education, equipping women and their partners with vital information about childbirth, infant care, and family planning. With a focus on fostering a positive atmosphere, we celebrate the miracle of birth, creating a nurturing space where mothers feel empowered and cared for throughout their journey into motherhood.

 

This is a stark contrast to when I first arrived in Kafountine, Senegal in early January of 2009 to volunteer for 5 weeks at the local government maternity clinic that had been operating since the 60s. I witnessed the harsh birthing practices and brutality laboring women had to endure. It was devastating. I quickly learned that this is how birth was all over the country. 

Pregnant and laboring women were treated so poorly, given very little education about their pregnancy, and what was happening to their body with a growing baby inside. Most women did not know which month their baby was due, along with having very few prenatal exams–or none at all. When it came to family planning, only about 12% of women had any knowledge of contraceptives. Laboring women were often left on a foam mattress on the floor, to labor on their own with no water, in a  very hot room with no fan, and If they cried out in pain, they were told to quiet down–making any sound was completely discouraged. Additionally, the sanitary conditions were horrendous; the afterbirth was so rough most placentas were manually removed, as midwives did not have the patience or training to give time for a placenta to detach naturally. There was an elder traditional midwife, who would sit in the corner of the delivery room so that she could do fundal pressure on just about every woman, who was in the pushing stage of labor. A woman pushing a baby out naturally was a rarity. 

The birth practices were so outdated, dangerous, and disturbing that sometimes I could not believe what was taking place before my eyes; I often stood back, as I could not partake in what was happening. Many times I feared for the life of the mother and baby. I did not know at the time that improving birth for these women on a much more acceptable level, would become my life’s work. Somehow, I was brave enough and kept returning–I began volunteering at the Kafountine maternity clinic for months at a time (for several years), making my place with the staff and discovering there were like-minded, Senegalese midwives who just needed permission and guidance, and to be introduced to gentler, safer, more compassionate ways of birthing. This led the pathway to the Birth Center that we have today. 

 

It has been an enormous amount of work, which sometimes seems impossible, and the stories of the mother’s lives can be so difficult and sad. However, the mothers have joy, safety, compassion, and education at our center–and often have a new lease on life after giving birth. We love our work and are fully committed to continuing to create positive and lasting change.

We are so grateful to each and every one of you, as we could not have come so far or accomplished this important work, with 
your support.