Fran's Midwifery Journey!

Francisca Dungula
 
My Story 

I spent two years paying out of pocket for my degree in Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State University. Eventually the payments were too high and my dream of completing my degree seemed almost impossible. Around the same time I discovered birth work and found my calling in supporting and educating families about birth and postpartum. I left State College, Pennsylvania and moved to New York City where midwives are more likely to be found and to connect with people wanting to change outcomes for Black birthing people. The systematic barriers keeping black women from being properly supported were so vast from their white counterparts, that I, being a black woman felt I had no choice but to fight for women in their most vulnerable time. The treatment of parents in many births I attended were far from communicative or supportive and were down right abusive. After 50 postpartum clients and 12 birth clients in the past three years I've discovered how important and crucial it is to have a midwife in a community. I am dedicated to living my life doing what I can to keeping people safe and healthy before, during, and after birth.


Logistics

This amount of money for one semester is the only barrier keeping me from being able to enroll back in school and resume my studies for the remaining 2 years. The deadline to enroll without loosing my credits is January 2021. If I'm able to raise enough by September 2020 I'll be able to start the Fall Semester!  After my BA I will be attending a Midwifery Masters program. 

Thank you so much if you are at all compelled to donate to my education and the future families I'll be taking care of!

If you are interest in anything I've mentioned above here are some links:

A Larger Role for Midwives Could Improve Deficient U.S. Care for Mothers and Babies:

https://www.propublica.org/article/midwives-study-maternal-neonatal-care