This Fundraiser seeks to connect ancestral midwives throughout the County of Guanujo, Ecuador, by creating networking opportunities and collaboration with public health institutions to support the development of a midwife-led network and organizational structure that can serve as a foundation for future recognition and advocacy. This will strengthen the midwives’ collective voice and preserve ancestral knowledge, providing a sustainable pathway for recognition and integration within the healthcare system.

The Midwives during a workshop

Context

In the county of Guaranda, located in the Bolívar Province of Ecuador, ancestral midwives serve as essential pillars of their communities. For generations, they have supported women through pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care. Despite their invaluable contributions to their communities, many midwives work in isolation with limited resources and little to no institutional recognition. Unlike other regions, the Guaranda currently lacks a formal association and network of midwives. This absence makes it difficult for midwives to share knowledge, strengthen their collective voice, and address challenges in advocating for their role within Ecuador's healthcare system. Additionally, the lack of interest from younger generations poses a threat to the long-term preservation of ancestral midwifery practices.

Our goal is to support the unification of the region's midwives by creating opportunities for dialogue among healthcare institutions and established midwifery organizations for collaboration through workshops and community engagement initiatives.

Our  Story

Hey! We are a team of international interns who have dedicated our summers to making this project possible. We are working alongside the El Terreno Foundation in the Bolívar Province of Ecuador. We are committed to learning from and supporting community-led initiatives that empower women and preserve cultural knowledge. This project is important to us because it brings together our interests in health, gender, international development, and sustainability while allowing us to contribute to the recognition and strengthening of traditional midwifery in rural communities.

Gabrielle Albessard(🇧🇪)- 5th year Graduate student, studying Development and Rural Innovation at the University of Wageningen, The Netherlands.  

“I aspire to work in international cooperation and social justice. Throughout my studies, I have developed a strong interest in gender dynamics worldwide. I came to El Terreno to learn about new ways women organize themselves and to gain hands-on experience before starting my professional career.”

 Alice Leroyer(🇫🇷🇺🇲)- 4th Year undergraduate student, studying Political Science and Philosophy at Columbia University, New York.

“I aspire to work in policy advising and entrepreneurship in social innovation and justice. I came to El Terreno to gain experience in health and gender, and to understand the ethics of working in communities abroad.”

 Soliana Janni(🇪🇷🇺🇲)- 4th year Undergraduate student, studying Political Science, Global Resource Systems, and Sustainability, at Iowa State University, Iowa. 

"I aspire to work in international development and sustainable community development. I came to El Terreno to understand the impact of international development and aid in rural areas, as well as to explore what cultural preservation and sustainability look like through community-based approaches."

Zoe  Zappas(🇺🇸)- 4th year Undergraduate student, Studying Spanish and Gender, Women’s and Sexuality studies at Grinnell College, Iowa.

“I plan to pursue a career in journalism, documenting Hispanic communities and feminist issues. I came to El Terreno to apply both areas of study and multimedia skills to a practical reproductive justice context in South America.”

The Solution

Our project seeks to strengthen the legitimacy and collective power of Indigenous midwives through key actions:

1.  Build connections and organizational capacity among midwives.
   Through activities such as workshops, networking sessions, and facilitated meetings. Participating midwives will develop stronger relationships while creating a framework for ongoing collaboration to support discussions on decision-making processes and future governance structures.
2.  Foster dialogue and collaboration with healthcare institutions and established midwifery organizations. Creating equitable spaces for Knowledge exchange between ancestral midwives, healthcare providers, and local organizations dedicated to ancestral midwifery. These Spaces will strengthen mutual understanding, improve collaboration during maternal health emergencies, and increase recognition of midwives as essential partners in culturally appropriate healthcare.
3.  Provide opportunities for learning and knowledge exchange.
   Participating midwives will attend Formal events such as the National Ancestral Midwifery Congress, visit regional hospitals and intercultural birthing centers, and engage with leaders from established Indigenous midwifery organizations, including a visit from a representative of the AMUPAKIN Birth Center in the Ecuadorian Amazon. These activities will be foundational for learning from successful organizational models and expanding professional networks.
4. Preserve and share ancestral knowledge.
   The project will document midwives’ experiences, practices, and knowledge in the Guaranda through a short documentary, personal profiles, and illustrated educational materials to be distributed to the community. 

Call to Action

The women at the heart of this initiative are strong, resilient, and deeply committed to serving their communities. They have dedicated countless hours to caring for mothers and families with little support. Your contribution will help provide the resources needed to bring these midwives together, strengthen their collective capacity, and preserve their ancestral knowledge of midwifery.

Julia-66, La botica (Guanujo)

María- 57, Castillo (Cordero)

Jenni- 42, Chalata Central (Trigales)

Joaquina-62, San Juan

The Impact

Your donation will directly support 11 ancestral midwives from Guaranda and indirectly benefit 172 women and families.

By the end of the project, we will achieve the following goals:

At the essential ($263) level, your donations will help us to:

1.  Contribute to workshop meetings.
2. Visits to local hospitals and established organizations.
3. Attend The National Congress of Midwives.
4. Demonstrations held by the midwives for international Nursing students.

For our ideal ($963.81) goal, your donations will help us to:

1. Develop Multimedia material that  will document midwives’ experiences, practices, and knowledge in the Guaranda through a short documentary, personal profiles, and illustrated educational materials 
2. Visit from a Representative from the Association of Kichwa Women Midwives of Amupakin.
3. Participate in dialectic events with the Ministry of Health.

If we reach ($1,433.81), your donations will help us to be able to additionally:

1. All essential and ideal goals will be met.
2. The project's long-lasting efforts include contributing to Transportation and other materials, such as space, food, and equipment, for future meetings.