Hello there

Imagine waking up today knowing you could change the course of maternal health across the globe. That conviction is the heartbeat of the Wombs of the World Foundation (WotW Foundation).

WotW Foundation is a sister non-profit branch to Wombs of the World LLC, which offers Immersive International Educational for Birthworkers.

The two entities are separate yet share the same roots and overall objective: to transform maternal health by uplifting, educating and connecting birthworkers.

The Backstory

In January of 2018, I set off to Karatu, Tanzania, to volunteer as a doula in a rural maternity clinic. My intention was clear: to be of service and learn from a different birth culture. Little did I know that sharing the experience with my small social media following with the hashtag #wombsoftheworld would spark a movement... Messages started pouring in from birth workers around the world, all asking, “How can I be part of this?”

It was clear we had tapped into a collective dream to make childbirth safer and more respected, everywhere. This was the founding moment for the curation of Wombs of the World LLC’s travel program for birth workers. In 2019, we started programs in Tanzania and Ecuador, focused on bringing doula care to clinics while learning about traditional midwifery practices.

With the momentum of hundreds of global birth workers eager to travel, and a following surpassing that of some of the biggest doula training organizations in the world, our need for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit became evident.

In 2023, the Wombs of the World Foundation was born, giving us the opportunity to elevate the work we were doing in our host countries, as well as provide more resources to birth workers and perinatal people everywhere.

DISTINCTION FROM WOMBS OF THE WORLD LLC

TWO BRANCHES, SHARED ROOTS

Wombs of the World Foundation emerges as a sister (yet distinctive) branch to our original initiative, Wombs of the World LLC, established in 2018.

WotW LLC offers international immersive educational programs for professional birthworkers, aiming to deepen their understanding of diverse birth cultures and global perinatal practices. This mission is driven by a desire to embrace the lessons of travel and forge a powerful network of birthworkers worldwide, while learning new skills and spreading the vision of compassionate, evidence-based, perinatal care.

While both entities are united by the overarching mission of improving maternal health outcomes, their operational paths diverge to utilize their strengths effectively:

WotW LLC (structurally) serves as a tour operator with a deep purpose, curating and facilitating educational and service oriented experiences for professional birthworkers in Ecuador, Tanzania, (and soon in Mexico, India, and South Africa!!).
- Funding Sources: Participant tuitions & application fees.

WotW Foundation focuses on mobilizing resources, funding community-led projects, and providing direct education and support in those same countries, enriching the communities that host the WotW LLC birthworker programs.
- Funding Sources: Grants, private donations, sponsorships, fundraising campaigns.

Learn More

We must zoom out to zoom in

As we paint a picture of maternal health disparities around the world today, we need to understand the foundation on which it is built.

EVE'S LEGACY: THE CURSE OF CHILDBIRTH

Childbirth was mythologized as a curse on Eve, embedding a view of maternal processes as punitive rather than natural. This perspective laid early groundwork for centuries of controlling and misinterpreting women's reproductive roles.

THE WITCH HUNTS: MIDWIFERY UNDER FIRE

Over 40,000 women, predominantly midwives, were executed in Europe during the Middle Ages, accused of witchcraft. This was less about sorcery and more about silencing female-led knowledge and practices.

THE ROOTS OF GYNECOLOGY: AN UNETHICAL FOUNDATION

Modern gynecology's advances came at a high cost, with experiments performed on enslaved women in the 1840s like Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsy without consent. This era reflects a disturbing overlook of ethics and human rights in the name of medical progress.

FROM HOME TO HOSPITAL

At the turn of the 20th century, birth shifted from home to hospital, leading to the marginalization of traditional grannie midwives. Invaluable knowledge was lost, and the medicalization of birth had begun. This medicalization eventually spread worldwide laying the foundation for obstetric care today.

Snapshot of the global maternal health crisis today, and how was want to contribute to the solution

GLOBAL MATERNAL MORTALITY

Approximately 295,000 women died from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth in 2017. (Source: WHO)

RISING MATERNAL MORTALITY IN THE US

The US faces a rising maternal mortality rate, highlighting significant health disparities and the urgent need for comprehensive maternal care. (Source: WHO)