Uganda Prenatal Yoga Project

Working alongside our Ugandan Ambassador, Prenatal International intends to make an impact by providing prenatal yoga teacher training and doula training to help populate areas in need with yoga teachers, and add to the skills of existing childbirth professionals.

Maternal Mortality rates were found to be extremely high in Uganda. The leading causes are hemorrhage, hypertension (high blood pressure), unsafe abortion, and infection. There are also issues with accessibility to health facilities, lack of childbirth education resulting in delays in seeking care, and lack of skilled birth attendants.

Research supports introducing prenatal yoga in countries with high maternal mortality rates helps reduce maternal and infant death and has a major impact on quality of life.

Maternal & Infant Mortality Rates Comparison

Uganda – Population 47,123,531

• 6,322 maternal deaths per year
• 72,359 infant deaths per year

California and Washington combined – Population 47,243,504

• 107 maternal deaths per year
• 2,122 infant deaths per year

United States – Population 332,278,200

• 754 maternal deaths per year
• 20,858 infant deaths per year

Project Implementation

In order to accomplish our goals Prenatal International will:

• Meet with local birth professionals to assess their needs and determine how Prenatal International can help within the scope of our organization.
• In order to ensure true collaboration, we will talk to local pregnant women, midwives, and yoga teachers from multiple areas that will be benefiting from PI’s offerings.
• Set up a training program and track for our ambassador to be the face of Prenatal International in Uganda. Prenatal International, will include mentoring providing her with doula education, training, continued prenatal yoga education and helping her complete project goals.
• Create business opportunities for hosting establishments, help them set up a prenatal yoga program.
• Connect with local yoga studios, women’s centers, hospitals and clinics to find yoga teachers, doulas, midwives, nurses, pregnant people, or other health professionals who might be interested in Prenatal International training.
• Train teachers and healthcare professionals in how to teach and hold prenatal yoga classes through a Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training and a doula training in Uganda.
• Help new teachers create professional opportunities teaching prenatal yoga or doing doula work following successful completion of training.
• Set up specific protocols for working with different demographics. For example, working in the city of Kampala vs working in a small village.
• Set up follow-up via visits or online

Anticipated outcomes

The creation of a thriving prenatal yoga community in Uganda that provides regular prenatal yoga classes in the city, and outreach to villages that don’t have access to prenatal classes, education, and yoga. Establish a Prenatal International ambassador in Uganda who represents the people of the area so that eventually they can have the experience and expertise to run the trainings independently.