Mother Hearts and Birth Activism: connection, mutual protection, re-enhancement, re-discovery…

Welcome video of Svetlana Demianova-Ponomarenko for the workshop of South African midwife Ruth Ehrhardt for mothers, midwives, doulas, and monitrice “Rediscover Birth: Protect the Basic Needs of Mother and Baby” on Sardinia island (Serdiana, Italy, June 24-26, 2017). The video contains not only congratulations and warm words towards Hilda Garst but also covers:

• facts and trends of the progress in Russia and Ukraine in obstetric aid and midwifery, as well as mothers networking since 2010 due to the great work and big dreams of mothers- birth activists and midwives (Jan Tritten, Katerina Perkhova, Olga Vishkina, Svetlana Demianova-Ponomarenko);
• turning point in birth humanization worldwide and in Italy since XX century;
• examples for inspiration by a parable about making a difference in the world.

“Today for me it is a miracle, great honor and pleasure to welcome you, dear Hilda, Ruth Ehrhardt and attendees on amazing Sardinia island, to congratulate you, Hilda, with the 20 year anniversary of the volunteer work in the support of Italian women in breastfeeding, protection of women’s basic needs in pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum.

20 years of volunteering is incredible! The whole life of serving!..

Hilda and her bread, in my opinion, serve as a bridge between mothers-to-mothers and mothers and health professionals in Italy and worldwide. This makes our activities similar…

I love the term «awarenessization» that Hilda used to use. The awarenessization leads to actions locally and globally. Your work on awarenessization in Italy, dear Hilda, is definitely the step that your grandchildren will be proud of…” – Svetlana Demianova-Ponomarenko

Hilda’s Garst feedback on ‘Miracle in the Heart’ welcome video

“The celebration of my 20 years activism was incredible... So so moving!..

There were about 45 persons and everyone was so committed... Your video was welcomed very very well!

... And the participants were so moved by your words... by the citation of Mother Teresa, by the kind words you dedicated to me, by the story of the child who saved stars, by the friendship that had started between us and how far the seeds of mother commitment can go...

It was so moving, Svetlana, incredible! I wished so much that you would have been there...

… when we realized that it was not possible to do the projection, I proposed to make the photo of you with us through the computer... So, Svetlana, this is what I/we can offer you as our gift of love and recognition and closeness to you!

Moreover, really, Svetlana, during the meeting, when I read your message, there have been several moments in which I was so moved that I had difficulty to continue reading and many mothers cried... And someone proposed me to substitute me in reading your message... But I said, "That is so kind but no…I must read it myself!"

In the photo, I wear you (on the computer) in my arms, but really, Svetlana, in that moment I felt that you were indeed with us!

Thank you so so much!”