Greetings~ This Fundraiser is for the Academic portion of my Midwifery studies. It only includes course material & administrative support from The National College of Midwifery in Taos NM. It is a distance learning college and one of only two that offers degrees in Midwifery. It is an MEAC (Midwifery Education Accreditation Council)Program which means it has has met standards of education, administration and conduct and also fulfills the requirements for national certification by the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). I am studying for my ASM-Associate of Science in Midwifery. I will also need to raise money to pay my preceptor apx $500 a month for up to 2 years which I will do on a separate campaign if this one does not go significantly over it's goal~ In addition to the above mentioned fees I will also need to pay for training in a clinical setting. All of this is to be conducted simultaneously and under the direct supervision of my preceptor(s). My ENTIRE Intention in becoming a Midwife is to Save Lives by Providing Maternal Health Care Services, building Birth Centers and Educating skilled care providers and Midwives in the rural under served regions of our World where women don't have access to adequate care. Preventative Care that can lower the high Maternal Mortality rates by recognizing obstetric emergencies and by providing women with respectable competent health care. Mothers are the care providers for the majority of Humanity. Their inexcusable deaths are a direct reflection of the current collective view of women. This imbalance needs to be rectified! The UNFPA states we need 350,000 Midwives to save the lives of these 350,000 women a year who die preventable deaths. 99% of which happen in the rural under served areas. 2 out of every 10 women who survive are left permanently disabled. I aim to make a difference and Save Lives! I have been obsessed with Natural Birth, Midwifery and Maternal Health since my childhood. Now 27 years later, I have 4 kids, 2 of whom are over 18 and the younger are old enough to help Mom make this happen! I have also launched a fundraiser on Indiegogo.com I've had over 1200 hits on it and only 12 funders. I hope maybe this website which is geared toward causes only may garner more results. I had been accepted to a program through Midwife International yet I couldn't raise the $2400 for my deposit and placement fee in the 3 weeks I had till the deadline, so sadly I lost that opportunity which is why I am back at this option which I had also thoroughly researched 4 yrs ago....I am willing to live my life in service of others and have always lived in a 'donation cycle' which is why it's so hard for me to understand that if the world needs so many midwives then why isn't the world willing to help? I know I AM~!~ ALL who contribute are also being a part of the change so needed & are Saving Lives too~ Thank You all~ Many Blessings~~~~ Kelly