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Sound as the Only Midwife Unattended Birth-Giving in the Philipines
Pi Villaraza´s wife, Daniw, performed two unassisted water births in their own home, in the midst of community, without the need of a midwife, a doctor, hospitals and medical apparatus. In their stress-free environment, her only real expenditure for both births was a plastic kiddie pool from Toy Kingdom. In the last four years, Pi and Daniw have also guided extended members of their community to follow a similar process in their own spaces. Pi from the Maia Earth ecovillage in the Philippines … Read more
Pro and Contra Home Birth Kenya: 57 Year Old Woman Quits 35 Year Long Service as TBA (Traditional Birth Attendant) for Skilled Delivery Advocacy.
This newsletter is full of praise for natural birth, outside of hospitals, in the protecting atmosphere of family or community, accompanied by a midwife or doula. However, in Africa, facing HIV and other risks, governments, and NGOs are trying to stop home deliveries by encouraging the Traditional Birth Attendants to quit their work. Victor Odula, program officer of the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB), describes the work of Mama Penina, an experienced TBA, and how she was convinced to stop … Read more
Ecovillage Excellency Award, 2014, Goes to Taneeb Farm/Global Campus, Palestine, and Aurora Community, Romania
Since this year the Ecovillage Excellency award is split into a European and an international project, with each of the projects receiving 1500 Euros. The international project will be awarded at the Ecovillage Summit in December, in Senegal, Africa. The audience of the GEN Europe conference this year decided to award the European prize to the Taneeb Farm in Palestine, and Aida Shibli´s initiatives for the Global Campus, Palestine. However, since the fresh and thriving Aurora community in … Read more
Ecovillage Excellency Award, 2014 Aurora Community, Romania
Aurora Community is an intentional, eco-spiritual community and a learning center actively working to be an example on new models of living, sharing the best practices for sustainability, supporting a lifestyle with low impact on the ecosystems of the planet, and spreading a more simple way of living, with grace, beauty and meaning. By Filipa Simoes. … Read more
Ecovillage Excellency Award, 2014 About the Taneeb Farm and the Global Campus Palestine
As a Palestinian, coming from a Bedouine family in Israel, Aida Shibli has had the role of bridging cultures from early age. As a peace worker, Aida has been involved with the Peace Research Village initiative, and the initiative to found GEN Middle East, for many years. By Leila Dregger … Read more
With Huge Help from my Friends My Ecovillage Homebirth Experience
The Danish ECO-village, Fri og Fro, was established in Egebjerg in 2004, and the plots contain 16 very different houses as well as a common house. The houses are constructed from sustainable materials such as recycled wood, straw, clay and shells. The village also has its own willow, wastewater treatment. This is the place where single mother, Poula-Line Schmidt, experienced the help of her community. I had reached the first month of my pregnancy when my partner and I split up. The last thing … Read more
Italy: Giving Birth in Damanhur The Community as a Social-Spiritual Uterus
Birthing is a challenging process that can take a woman out of her physical and psychological balance. The capacity to hold her in this condition, and be her 'social-spiritual uterus', is a valuable skill that communities can develop. Damanhur is composed of about 20 so called 'Nucleos', core families of 10-30 people. Capra Carruba gave birth to her first daughter 6 years ago, and now she waits for her second child to be born. My daughter was born seven years ago in our communal living room. … Read more
USA: The Farm Midwives 30 Years of Teaching Natural Births
The Farm in Tennessee, USA, is one of the oldest and most famous ecovillages worldwide. Even before there was a place called The Farm, the seeds of community began to grow when the first babies were brought into the world by the women - later to become known as The Farm Midwives. The babies who were born on the road during the long journey from California to Tennessee, brought forth a wave of energy, which established a bond, not only to their immediate family, but to the group as a whole. The … Read more
Japan: Spirituality of Birth Giving Spiritual Birth-Giving in the Konohana Family
In the ecovillage Konohana Family, in Japan, women give birth to children in their homes, in maternity centers, or in the hospital at the Konohana Family, depending on their wishes, physical condition, and advice from other members. As there are many experienced parents at Konohana Family, mothers-to-be are able to learn and master how to become parents very naturally. Members of Konohana Family consider all the children as their own and raise them as the children of the society. Yoko Oki shares … Read more
Conscious Birthgiving in Chile The Ecology of Birth - in the Hurricane of Hormones
A fundamental part of a peaceful culture is to have peaceful women, peaceful wombs and peaceful births. The “Círculo Matríztico” is a large women’s network in Chile - and the World - that was founded by women who wanted to celebrate being connected to the feminine power of the moon. It began as a space for women to meet, gather and sing as sisters, seeking a connection with the feminine energy, and the importance of giving birth. This song and prayer echoed out and was heard and repeated in … Read more
