6month

African Birth Collective is excited to announce the beginning of a new six month midwifery exchange program that will take place in more rural villages in Senegal. These programs will be in co-ordination with Tostan, another non-profit organization based in Dakar, Senegal. Through its non-formal, human rights based Community Empowerment Program, Tostan has touched the lives of thousands of rural villagers in countries throughout Africa and has done more than any other organization to end the practice of female genital cutting. One of the crucial components of the Tostan program is the Community Management Committees (CMCs) who represent the community in creating development programs such as village clean up, health center construction, improvements in education and health systems, respect for the environment and management of microcredit. This program would work with the CMCs in Tostan villages to improve maternal health care delivery.

Experienced midwives and midwifery instructors with advanced students will be paired with villages in the ongoing Empowered Communities Network of Tostan, to exchange knowledge and skills. Our midwifery preceptors and students will have a two week language intensive and cultural orientation at the Tostan center in Thies, and then spend 2 ½ months in various villages working with local midwives, distributing vitamins and supplies, delivering babies and serving the women of their village. Another two week retreat in Thies will allow everyone to compare experiences and strategies, and enjoy a bit of town life before another 2 ½ months in the village.

This program will foster deeper relationships and have a more lasting impact on the local communities that our ABC participants live and serve in. Students will gain immeasurable experience and confidence as they are able to perform skills that may be hard to come by in apprenticeships in the US. The volume of births may not be as high as the clinics that participate in our three week programs, but the personal connection and continuity of care is much greater. Five months of shifts should give each student adequate experience to be qualified to take exams, as well as having had a huge cultural experience and knowing that they have collectively made a significant contribution to maternal health in Africa.

The cost for this invaluable experience, including airfare from NY and all food, lodging and transportation expenditures is only $6,000 for 6 months per person. If a midwife or teacher wanted to go with three students, a tuition of $8,000 per student would cover all the supervisor's expenses.

(website for tostan is www.tostan.org)

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