I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central and Kangu. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation, but all opinions are my own! This is a cause near and dear to my heart and I’m so happy to post about it!
Nothing can prepare you for birth. Not a book, not a class, not a birth plan, not a supportive family. I’ve had four babies and no two births were the same. None went as planned and all involved at least one moment that was nothing short of terrifying.
I’ve labored through two (and a half) babies and had one vaginal birth and three c-sections. I feel like I’ve seen it all. What I will say after going through this so many times and ways is that it is always hard. Always a little terrifying. And always such a joy to have that baby in your arms: tiny, a little slimy, and brand-spanking new to this life.
Birth is amazing. But still harrowing.
Can you imagine being three weeks away from giving birth and not having a health care plan or the money for one? Can you imagine the idea of potentially giving birth with NO support, no health or medical care?
Currently, Deborah in Uganda is awaiting the provisions for her birth. She has received prenatal care from the Teso Safe Motherhood Project and is hoping for funding to cover birth support. You guys? It’s only $235 to cover Deborah’s birth expenses. If you’ve given birth in the States, you know that no matter what kind of birth or what kind of insurance, you’re giving thousands of dollars to someone. Thousands. For Deborah to have safe and professional birth support, it’s only $235.
***UPDATE: Deborah has been fully funded!!! Thank you to all of you who donated to help her birth!***
Through Kangu, a non-profit organization with the dream to provide a safe birth for women around the world, you can help crowd-fund birth expenses. (Crowd-funding is basically giving money along with friends or strangers for a common cause.) Such a small thing, and yet what a valuable and significant gift for Deborah!
Here are my hopes today:
1. I hope to spread the word about Kangu. It’s an amazing organization providing what most of us think is a basic need, not a luxury.Go check out their site. Read what they are about and take a look at the women around the world hoping for care. Share their site with your friends.
2. I hope that together with this community of readers here on my blog, we can fund Deborah’s birth. Again, it’s $235. That means if you are one of the several hundred who read this post and you can spare a few dollars, she would be covered. Her due date? MARCH 9. Y’all, that is just weeks away. ***Again, it’s DONE! Thank you!!!***
No matter your birth story or how many times you have been through it, I think we can all agree on something: birth would be a truly harrowing experience without a safe environment and trained health professionals assisting. I cannot imagine going through birth without these things. It was scary and intense enough WITH these things. Whether or not you have given birth or had a wonderful or horrible experience doing so, I hope we can come together to provide help for Deborah.
As of the moment I am writing this, 0% of her care has been provided for. Think we can join together and help fund her birth? Let’s do this thing! After I hit publish, I am headed over to make the first donation of $20. That is so little lost for me, but is close to 10% of her care. If you feel moved by this, make one as well and share this post or the Kangu site with your friends! You can also enter to win a $100 donation to Kangu here!
Will you join me in supporting birth? Whether that’s Deborah or any one of the mothers in need on Kangu.