What To Expect Project

Programs: The what to expect foundation (wtef) takes its name from the international bestselling book what to expect when you're expecting, often called the pregnancy "bible". Wtef is an ngo that helps low-income women and families get the information, education and support they need to expect healthier pregnancies, safter deliveries and health happy babies. In the us our signature program is called baby basics. The program uses pregnancy as the perfect moment to teach women critical thinking and self-advocacy skills that encourage them to become strong, confident, healthy mothers who can raise healthy children. First we give moms a free copy of the beautiful, friendly baby basics book. Simply written and filled with useful information and real stories, baby basics is often the first book these moms-to-be have ever owned, and the first book they've wanted to learn to read. The program does not create new organizations - instead we work with existing ngo's in anc care, adult education and women's empowerment do a better job education and engaging young women and men. In 2012, inspired by the baby basics philosophy and materials, then secretary of state hillary clinton's office of global women's issues at the us state department partnered with the gates foundation and wtef to innovate for international women in two countries, bangladesh and liberia. In liberia, the book is called big belly business. Filled with stories, humor and vital information, the book was researched and written by a team of liberian writers and illustrated by chase walker, a young liberian artist who, during the war, taught himself to draw in the mud of his ghanaian refugee camp. In july 2014, 50,000 copies of the book will be delivered to partner ngo's accross the country by our new partner, the open society of west africa. Each will receive small grants of books, training and funding to create big belly "book clubs" that bring groups of women together to listen, talk and learn from the book nd from one another. In bangladesh we have combined art, illustration, stories and the distinctive designs to create babu bartu (baby news). The team who created this book includes women illustrators who created colorful scenes of life in the city and countryside; talented novelists from accross the country and men and women devoted to the health of women, babies and families.