The BEBO Scholars program provides scholarships to individuals of African descent training to become birth workers. This program was created in response to the black maternal and infant health crisis in the US, and in recognition of the important role birth workers - specifically birth workers of African descent - play in supporting and advocating for black mothers and babies.
Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). Regardless of family income or education, black babies born in the US are more than twice as likely to die before their first birthdays than white babies (US Department of Health and Human Services). In fact, babies born to middle-income black mothers with advanced degrees face twice the infant mortality risk of babies born to poor white mothers with less than a high school education (CDC). Mounting research points to the stress caused by generations of institutional racism as the root of this increased risk, and evidence suggests that care from birth workers of African descent is one way to positively impact health outcomes. As agencies and individuals in all areas of birth work, medicine, and government attempt to address these unacceptable disparities, the BEBO Scholars program hopes to minimize financial barriers for women of African descent striving to provide culturally responsive birth support.
BEBO Scholars has four application deadlines:
March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1 (or the following Monday if those dates fall on weekends). Applications will be reviewed after those deadlines, and applicants will be notified by March 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15 (or the following Monday if those dates fall on weekends). All scholarship funds must be distributed directly to the training organization - they cannot be sent directly to the Scholar. Please plan your application accordingly.
Interested in becoming a BEBO Scholar? Apply here!
Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). Regardless of family income or education, black babies born in the US are more than twice as likely to die before their first birthdays than white babies (US Department of Health and Human Services). In fact, babies born to middle-income black mothers with advanced degrees face twice the infant mortality risk of babies born to poor white mothers with less than a high school education (CDC). Mounting research points to the stress caused by generations of institutional racism as the root of this increased risk, and evidence suggests that care from birth workers of African descent is one way to positively impact health outcomes. As agencies and individuals in all areas of birth work, medicine, and government attempt to address these unacceptable disparities, the BEBO Scholars program hopes to minimize financial barriers for women of African descent striving to provide culturally responsive birth support.
BEBO Scholars has four application deadlines:
March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1 (or the following Monday if those dates fall on weekends). Applications will be reviewed after those deadlines, and applicants will be notified by March 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15 (or the following Monday if those dates fall on weekends). All scholarship funds must be distributed directly to the training organization - they cannot be sent directly to the Scholar. Please plan your application accordingly.
Interested in becoming a BEBO Scholar? Apply here!