Cambridge Who’s Who member, Olivia Kimball, is co-founder and director of Earth Birth: A Global Women’s Health Collective. This concept was created by midwives to advance a women’s health movement that promotes safe and peaceful birth.
The goals of Earth Birth are to create community sustainability, lower maternal and infant mortality rates, decrease mother-to-child HIV transmission rates and provide access to needed supplies and trauma counseling. The pilot program for Earth Birth was started in Gulu, Uganda in East Africa. Earth Birth Gulu provides clinics for comprehensive and compassionate reproductive healthcare and education. The program also provides training in holistic midwifery for birth attendants who have received little formal education; most of their knowledge has been passed down through the generations. Furthermore, Earth Birth Gulu offers a space for women to take an active part in their healthcare and childbirth experiences and to document and archive them.
Earth Birth Isoke in Sudan mirrors its sister program in Gulu and is currently starting to offer training and workshops for midwives. Earth Birth Sao Paulo, Brazil focuses on re-educating women about childbirth. This program offers childbirth preparedness classes, a parenting community, pre- and post-natal care, childbirth care and well-woman care.
If you would like to donate to Earth Birth, visit www.givemeaning.com/prjoect/zangua. When donating through the website you can learn more about Earth Birth by reading its blog, viewing pictures and discovering how your donation can help the organization. For example, a $10 donation buys a box of non-sterile gloves; $50 funds the training of a Traditional Birth Assistant; and $150 provides books and educational supplies for birth attendants. Earth Birth is also always in need of supplies and baby and maternity clothing. You can send these items to Earth Birth Gulu, Lagony Road, P.O. Box 669, Gulu, Uganda, East Africa.
Olivia Kimball, co-founder and director of Earth Birth, has been a member of Cambridge Who’s Who since October 2006. Her expertise is in midwifery and massage therapy. She has also had extensive training in cultural competence and holistic clinic management. Kimball graduated from Maternidad La Luz midwifery school and has received training in ritual ceremonies by serving as an apprentice to elders and wisewomen from various cultures and traditions. She teaches courses on natural birthing and nutritional healing and is writing a book on how the method of birthing can impact the health of both the mother and the child for a lifetime.
Working alongside Kimball is co-founder and director, Rachel Zaslow, who is also an integral part of Earth-Birth’s mission. Zaslow is a midwife who seeks to bridge gaps between culture and medicine and has taught courses in women’s health, war and trauma. She trained in Ghana, West Africa in midwifery and is the founder of the New York City Dougla Program and Young Mothers Strong Voices.
I find Ms. Kimball’s organization to be commendable and informative. She has taken her passion for women’s health and made it a global mission. My hat goes off to her. I would encourage Ms. Kimball to create a profile on Cambridge Who’s Who Connect to further the exposure and knowledge of her program worldwide. I look forward to reading more in the future about Earth Birth and its accomplishments.