We wanted the reach the following two aims by implementing the project: 1. SUPPORTING WOMEN: a) to foster mental wellbeing and empowerment of women raising children under 10 years of age through activism in local peer support groups, b) to provide non-formal learning opportunities for women and encourage them to be change agents for each other, c) to create inclusive and safe learning spaces for women who face social isolation and are left without help in facing traumatic birth, difficulties in motherhood, d) to provide safe spaces for peer-to-peer groups that have a great empowering effect: where mothers can share their personal experiences and trauma related to pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood. Empowerment is not just about reproductive rights and giving birth, but also has a great impact on representing interests in all other fields of life. e) to provide non-formal learning points both for women and the organizations. 2. STRENGTHENING OUR ORGANISATIONS’ SUSTAINABILITY a) to get to know both organozations’s challenges regarding volunteers and sustainability, b) to improve network of local peer support groups, c) to strengthen international relations of both organizations.
The transition to motherhood brings about enormous change in women’s lives. It starts with childbirth, during which women are vulnerable and need personalised support. Spanish and Hungarian maternity care systems face similar challenges that often have long-term adverse outcomes for women both physically and mentally without a support system to overcome difficulties. These all require women’s active participation and self-led initiatives supported by our organisations. If women get satisfying peer-support, they reconnect with their psychological and societal resources and while embracing their personal stories and overcoming their difficulties, they get empowered, take responsibility for other women, turn to activism, express and practice solidarity towards other women, and they make use of this empowerment in other fields of life. Our organizations operate in a similar way and face similar organisational challenges: supporting and expanding the network of local groups, managing volunteers, handling fluctuation and burn-out, sustainability, financial questions, etc. This organisational structure is not common in our countries, thus exchange and cooperation with a similar organization would not be possible within national borders