Speak Up

Part of being a doula is advocating for a client's preferences during birth. Most of the time this means asking the medical staff the right questions or reminding a client, in the heat of labor, what they had asked for. Every once in a while, a doula must firmly speak up for a client to make sure her care provider know what she wants. In that same way, I believe that I must speak up for those people in the world whose have been so marginalized that their voices can't be heard. That is one reason that I support the Fistula Foundation. All the profits of my baby-mama craft projects go to the Fistula Foundation, where women on the other side of the world can receive hope and healing. Since last August, I have been able to give (from craft profits only) $245. I am hoping to double that next year so that I can pay for a whole fistula surgery (the cost is $450). 

Tanzania is one of the countries that the Fistula Foundation supports. So why Tanzania? During my junior year of college, I went to Tanzania on a medical mission. There I found myself surrounded by poverty and disease. I wish I could say, at the time, that I felt moved, but really I just wanted to come home. It wasn't until recently, when I read the book "Half the Sky" that I really felt a calling to do my part to help end the marginalization of women across the world. One area that really struck me, for obvious reasons (as a doula), was maternal health issues. 

(College medical missions trip to Tanzania)

The theme of being a doula and Tanzania kept popping up in my life. Recently I read an article in International Doula (put out by DONA International) about a woman who traveled to Tanzania to educate women about better birth practices and train Tanzanian doulas. I immediately emailed her to ask how I could help. She sent me her blog and asked me for support and to spread the word about Joule Birth. Here is her blog: http://joulebirth.com/about/. They help other third would countries in Africa with better birth practices and improving  birth conditions which will ultimately lower maternal and infant mortality rates.

It is never too late to find a cause to get involved in that you feel passionate about. You never know who or what will be woven into the fabric of your life.

(framed kanga [tranditional garment] from Tanzania)

"mama ni mlezi kanileya kwa mapenzi"

("My mother brought me up with love")