Help Empower Mothers in Zimbabwe: Support Our Prenatal Yoga Retreat!

Dear Friends,

We are thrilled to announce the next chapter of our mission to support mothers on their journey to wellness! I’m Selena from Just Breathe, LLC, a Philadelphia-based maternal wellness advocate, and together with Mercy Mungwadzi, our Zimbabwean partner and Most Beautiful WOMB—a local nonprofit advocating for reproductive justice—we are raising $7,000 to host a Prenatal Yoga Retreat in rural Zimbabwe.

Last year, thanks to generous supporters like you, we raised over $8,000 in monetary and in-kind donations. With these contributions, we were able to provide much-needed yoga equipment to participants and create a space for Zimbabwean mothers to connect, learn, and uplift one another through prenatal yoga and wellness workshops.

This Year’s Vision: We are expanding our efforts to Nyanga village, where Chitanza Clinic will graciously host the retreat. Your contributions will directly support this initiative, providing:

Yoga mats, blankets, and other essential equipment

Nutritious, pregnancy-supportive meals

Travel within Zimbabwe

Compensation for birth workers, including doulas and midwives

Documentation and tech needs for the retreat

Why This Retreat Matters: Around the world, Black women and women of color face disproportionately high rates of reproductive trauma, often due to barriers in accessing quality healthcare and support. In Zimbabwe, challenges like culturally insensitive care and lack of maternal resources make pregnancy an even greater struggle.

This retreat aims to empower pregnant people by equipping them with tools, techniques, and knowledge to navigate their pregnancies with confidence and joy. We believe that pregnancy is more than just a medical event—it’s a transformative experience. Our prenatal yoga retreat will offer a sacred space for women to connect with themselves, their babies, and the larger community.

What We Achieved Last Year: In 2023, 14 women gathered for a 3-day retreat, benefiting from the wisdom of local birth workers and peer mentors. We donated yoga equipment and supported Mercy in growing her yoga outreach, helping her bring the benefits of prenatal yoga into more homes.

Why We Need You: Your support can help us continue this work, creating a global collective of maternal support and empowering mothers to invest in their wellness. Every dollar you donate will make a direct impact on the lives of women in Zimbabwe as they prepare for motherhood in a holistic and supported way.