South Asian heritage history month 2023

South Asian heritage month 2023 focussed on the  theme is #SharingStories. This webinar was an opportunity for members to share their story, the great work they are doing in midwifery services and beyond.  

Speakers

Association of South Asian Midwives (ASAM) is a platform for the South Asian Midwifery Workforce and birthing community. The company was founded by three midwives, Nafiza, Benash and Sundas after they shared their experiences of being midwives from a South Asian background.
The ASAM visions are:

• To raise awareness and understanding of South Asian cultural behaviours and  taboos within a maternity and birthing setting.  
• To open dialogue regarding stereotypes and preconceptions concerning the South Asian community.  
• To encourage more individuals from the South Asian community to consider midwifery as a vocation.  
• To mentor and support the marginalised midwifery workforce in the UK.   
• To work with unions to raise concerns and challenges faced by the South Asian community

Since 2020, ASAM has grown with the support of the community and the maternity workforce. ASAM has collaborated with other groups to hold conferences, run campaigns, represented the community on various panels and opened membership for midwives and student midwives. The team are committed and motivated to continue being a voice for the South Asian community and the marginalised midwifery workforce. Twitter: @midwivesASAM, Instagram: asamidwives

Sunita Banga Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead Midwife for Royal Wolverhampton Trust. 

Sunita is passionate about helping families in Wolverhampton receive an even more equitable service during their maternity journey. Sunita’s role has led her to engage with the local communities in a variety of different ways; doing a monthly television show about pregnancy in Punjabi; setting up The Sahara Maternity Support Group which caters to the needs of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic women and creating the LGBT+ community group too. Sunita works closely with the LMNS and the MNVP to hear the voice of the pregnant person and ensure that they feel seen and heard by finding ways of meeting those individual needs; knowing that as a Trust they are making things better for people from diverse backgrounds and communities. It’s all about teamwork. @sunitabanga1

Amina Hatia, Midwifery Manager,  Tommy’s 

Tommy's the UK's largest charity that is focused on research into preventing baby loss and making pregnancy and birth safer for everyone. Alongside running the midwifery led services at Tommy's, Amina also works as an antenatal care specialist midwife in the NHS and as a Research Midwife for Imperial College London focusing on accessibility and equity in lactation services – especially around the area of Milk Kinship for Muslim families. Amina is passionate about ensuring that everyone has equity of access to the knowledge that can impact their pregnancy, birth and postnatal journey – however that may look for them with evidence based, compassionate and person-centred care. @midwifemothermatriarch