Mamatoto Village

As a Black womxn-led organization, based in Washington, D.C., Mamatoto Village provides life-saving perinatal support services, workforce development training, and emergency food access to Black and Brown womxn and birthing people, and families of color living in the District, and Prince George's County, Maryland. We are dedicated to serving and caring for communities most vulnerable to health, economic, and social inequities across the metropolitan region.

Mamatoto Village is devoted to serving Black womxn and birthing people through the creation of career pathways in maternal health; and providing accessible perinatal support services designed to equip womxn with the necessary tools to make the most informed decisions in their maternity care, parenting, and lives.

As a village, we take care of our mamas. Throughout pregnancy, and for the first six months of a child’s life, mothers receive comprehensive, culturally empathetic services which include health education, care coordination, labor and breastfeeding support, counseling, organized patient care, social support, access to food and nutrition services (including grocery deliveries), and referrals to partnering health centers and other community-based social support services.

Since our founding, we have delivered perinatal support services to over 2,000 womxn and birthing people. We are proud to say we have never lost a mother enrolled in our program.

Clients often return to Mamatoto to complete our workforce development program. In our workforce development program, trainees learn to serve in their community as trained community health workers and lactation consultants. Following four months of training, trainees graduate from the program to either receive employment at Mamatoto Village or assistance with securing employment at other community-based organizations. Since 2013, our workforce development program has trained over 151 womxn, and many graduates have started successful careers as medical professionals, midwives, social workers, and board-certified lactation consultants. Through our work, we are actively increasing the number of womxn of color employed in the maternal health field. 

Our mission-centered and community-driven work is actively changing maternal and infant health outcomes in the District. 

Our work continues to train and graduate more Black and Brown womxn who are capable of providing culturally respectful and intentional care. We have accomplished all of this while working from an undersized office with a training room that limits class sizes, minimal storage, and zero clinical facilities for in-person healthcare check-ups.

As we reflect upon the future we are co-creating with our clients, community, and partners, we envision a future where safe, just, and dignified care is a reality for womxn, birthing people, and their families. Together, we can create a space where Black and Brown womxn, birthing people, and families will receive compassionate, equitable, and collective care.