Mary Beth travel to Tanzania for doula education

Hi! I'm Mary Beth, I'm a mom, an educator, a writer, a dreamer and a trained ToLabor birth doula. Most mornings I can be found either pounding the pavement or bending to the earth on my yoga mat. I live with my husband, Caleb, in NC with my 2 blonde-haired beauties, Ava and Eleanor, 2 four-legged-fur babies and several chatty egg-laying golden girls.

I found birth work traveling overseas when I was in college. I have always loved helping families flourish and grow, but after giving birth to my baby I knew that the doula life was a calling I wanted to follow. It took me 7 more years to attend a training with toLabor and my journey has continued to unfold. I am now a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator as well as a Certified Lactation Counselor.

In 2020, I began working at the YWCA High Point as the Maternal Health Director, furthering my love of working with birthing people and babies. As a part of that work, I was able to help write a grant for a pilot project in the High Point area around providing doula support for individuals in the community. I learned so much about all of the systemic issues surrounding birth and truly understood what my doula meant when she equated birth work to social justice work.

I was quickly exhausted by carrying burdens I could not unsee.

One day, my dear co-worker turned friend sent me a video on Instagram from Wombs of the World with the caption, "This was made for you!" She wasn't wrong!

I began following their work and dreamed of the day I might travel with the organization to learn more, fellowship more and bring home more questions. After reading about the opportunities in Tanzania, I knew that was the trip I would love to pursue and I prayed that God would help me find the courage to speak up, and to help me financially afford an opportunity. I knew that I fell in love with birth work and the empowerment of birth in my overseas encounters in Ethiopia in 2008 (and even before that). I have applied for grant funding in many places but have not been successful at receiving it because I don't fit any traditional molds but find myself in need of a sabbatical, rest and continued education.

I am scheduled on a trip in January 2024 to travel to Tanzania to learn and volunteer as a doula with other birth workers. The tuition total covers the cost of lodging, food and additional travel opportunities in the country as well as payment for the clinics in which we will volunteer. I am looking to fundraise over this cost to support my travel as well as purchase items for the clinics. These items include headlamps (for when the electricity goes out, babies wait for no human!) and additional scrubs to outfit the nurses along with other small items requested by staff.

Will you generously help me in partnering to grow my knowledge and connect to this calling??

What does this actually fund?

Airfare == $1500 round trip

Tuition cost that includes room/board, food, transportation AND money to pay the clinics for our time== $3250

Travel Insurance== $275

Visa == $75

Additional funds:

Scrubs to purchase for nurses== 10 @ $35e, $350

Headlamps for clinic nurses == 3 packs of 2 @ $13, $45

Thank YOU for your support!