Help Me Bring Ancestral Birthwork Knowledge Back to My Community

My name is Ayanah, and I am a passionate community-based doula, Certified Lactation Counselor, breastfeeding peer counselor, and prenatal yoga teacher serving Black, Brown, and low-income families in Rochester, NY. Over the years, I’ve been honored to support close to 100 births, walking alongside families with the goal of restoring confidence, safety, and sacredness to the birth experience.

In just two weeks, I will be traveling to Ghana as part of an all-Black birth worker immersion, where I will be studying under traditional midwives and birth workers. This experience is deeply meaningful to me—not only personally, but for the future of the families I serve.

Why This Trip Matters

Black women in the United States face a much higher maternal mortality rate compared to white women. This is a crisis affecting families just like the ones I support every day. I truly believe that reconnecting with ancestral midwifery practices, traditional healing, and community-centered birthwork can help us create safer, more empowering birth experiences here at home.

By learning directly from traditional Ghanaian midwives, I’ll be able to bring back:

✨ Culturally-rooted practices

✨ Holistic pregnancy and postpartum care techniques

✨ Ancestral knowledge that has supported generations of healthy births

✨ New tools and wisdom to help reduce Black maternal health disparities locally

This trip is more than professional development—it’s an opportunity to transform the way I serve my community, and to help lower the risks that far too many Black families face.

Why I Need Your Support

This trip is happening very soon, and I’m asking for help raising the remaining funds to cover:

• Travel costs

• Immersion program fees

• Supplies & materials

Any amount—big or small—truly makes a difference. Your support helps me continue my mission: to protect, uplift, and empower Black birthing families through culturally-rooted, community-centered care.

Thank you for pouring into me so that I can continue pouring into my community.

With love and gratitude,

Ayanah