Ubuntu Black Family Wellness Collective

Want to join me in making a difference? I'm raising money to benefit Ubuntu Black Family Wellness Collective, and any donation will help make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me.

Everyone should have the right to not just survive childbirth but thrive.

In Delaware. Black mothers are 3 times more likely to die in and around childbirth and Black babies are 7 times more likely to die in their first year of life than their white counterparts, regardless of education or income. Black patients often report not being heard when bringing their concerns to clinicians, being ignored or disrespected when seeking

medical care. Many clinicians, doctors and nurses have been taught racial stereotypes about people of color that impact the way they care for people of color. This is known as medical racism. Things like Black people feel less pain. When Serena Williams gave birth, she almost died after reporting the chest pain of a pulmonary embolism. Kira Johnson died of a massive hemorrhage, waiting hours for testing and surgery that came too late to save her life from a surgical error while her husband’s (Charles Johnson) concerns were ignored.

A simple way to reduce the risk to pregnancy for Black mamas and babies is giving them access to trusted experienced providers that look like tjem, understand their experiences, because they’ve lived it. Ubuntu Black Family Wellness Collective provides Black mothers with experienced, trusted Black community doulas and midwives who offer prenatal care, birth support, postpartum support and newborn care. All regardless of their ability to pay or coverage by their health insurance. Many, in fact most that don’t cover for the services of doulas or homebirths. Our goal is simple to make sure that every chosen pregnancy for every Black mama is healthy, happy and ends with a healthy mother and healthy baby, where every mother can have the support of committed Black birth workers who will center their needs and support their choices.

Our goal is to provide no cost doulas services to 4 Black mothers per month and 1 out of hospital birth with a licensed midwife per month to a mother with Medicaid or an income level of less than 200% of the federal poverty level.

No mother pays for services at Ubuntu, and besides midwifery and doula care, they have access to our diaper bank, food pantry, pack and plays for safe sleep spaces and other needs.

Thank you for your support of our mission to bring equity and justice to Black families.

For 4 decades, the Siafwiyo family faithfully served as devoted workers on the Namwianga mission, in Kalomo, Zambia taking in orphans for 30 years without any wages for Mama Cecilia, until a personal family dispute with the white evangelical American missionaries evicted them from their home.

Returning to the family farm in the village of Kabanga, Cecilia continues to take in children whose mothers have died in childbirth and raises them until they are old enough and independent enough to be able to return to their extended families safely. Zambia has one of the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality rates in the world. When there is no relative who can care for a newborn, especially no one nursing families seek out help and a safe place to provide infant essential for survival. Especially in a country where a single can of formula costs 2 weeks wages for an average person. 

The family does this with no concern for recompense or profit, but because of the concept of Ubuntu. Caring for one another is built into the DNA of African communities. The idea that if anyone in the community is in need, hurting, suffering, it is the obligation of anyone who is able to provide for those in need.

In that spirit, Ubuntu Black Family Wellness is raising funds to send 4 shipping barrels filled with essential supplies including non-perishable foods, garden supplies and vegetable seeds, baby formula, cloth diapers, newborn and toddler clothes, cleaning supplies, towels, washcloths, and other household necessities to help support this family in their lifetime work.

We are hoping to raise enough to fill 4 shipping barrels and pay the cost of shipping.

Your help will make sure that the Siafwiyo’s never have to say no.

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