Renforcement de Capacites decisionnelles : Mere – Enfant (the Birth Empowerment Project) is an ongoing grant-funded project of the Opportunity Alliance WIC Program. Based on an initial series of multilingual, educational videos filmed in 2020, it seeks to empower pregnant and postnatal Portuguese, Lingala, and French-speaking WIC participants to utilize their voice and choice when navigating reproductive healthcare systems and inspire healthcare professionals to expand their cultural competence.
A community-responsive, and community-led initiative, video content was developed with an acknowledgment that American systems and standards highlighted are not necessarily the “right” way to administer or consume healthcare, but that an individuals’ understanding of American healthcare customs may improve a family’s ability to navigate systems and access care. The long-term goal of the Birth Empowerment Project is to improve maternal and infant health outcomes among African immigrant women in Greater Portland, specifically those from Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.