After Battling Postpartum Depression Woman Secures $100,000 Grant to Improve Black Maternal Health with CocoLife

CocoLife, a maternal health nonprofit founded by Alexia Omega Doumbouya, has been awarded a $100,000 grant from CVS Health to enhance maternal care for Black women .

The nonprofit, launched in 2019 , focuses on improving Black maternal health outcomes through a range of supportive services , including doula assistance and postpartum care .

Doumbouya’s journey began after experiencing severe postpartum depression , psychosis, and anxiety following the birth of her daughter in 2011.

This personal hardship led her to become a certified doula and start CocoLife as a support group for mothers , which has since grown into a full-scale nonprofit.

CocoLife provides critical services such as maternal health groups, one-on-one doula visits, and round-the-clock support until 12 weeks postpartum.

The organization has supported 60 families with doula care, trained 100 future doulas, and provided funding to 50 doulas in the Philadelphia area.

Doumbouya stressed the importance of culturally competent care in addressing disparities in Black maternal health .

“The disparities in maternal health outcomes are deeply rooted in systemic issues , and our doulas play a critical role in bridging those gaps, ” she told AfroTech .

The $100 , 000 grant from CVS Health will help CocoLife further its mission to reduce the maternal mortality rate for Black women , who are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications compared to white women, according to the National Institutes of Health.

In addition to maternal care , CocoLife also offers outreach to fathers and grandparents , fostering a community-wide approach to supporting maternal wellbeing.

The nonprofit continues to build partnerships with local organizations to further its impact in addressing the urgent need for equitable maternal health care .

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