Jan 2018: The Jamaa Relaunch

January 3, 2018 / Okunsola M. Amadou

Jamaa Birth Village means family in the African language of Swahili. Come and go with me, on the humble beginnings and birthing of a village.

rebirthing the jamaa vision

On Monday January 22nd, 2018, we relaunched our organization and held an open house sharing our renewed mission, vision and name with our community. That weekend I remember between deciding to purchase new curtains for our windows, or sewing them myself. I chose to purchase the fabric, plant my feet firmly in the earth, and sew our new curtains so I could be very intentional in weaving our vision and goals into every stitch within that beautiful, sparkly, purple fabric. Our open house was a hit! 

Feb 2018: Our 5th Doula Training at Jamaa!

In February 2018, we held our 5th Doula training at Jamaa Birth Village and this time, we had the biggest surprise ever. One of our Doula students had a very special cake made for our graduation, and it was nothing like we’d ever seen before! This was just the jumpstart to an amazing year up ahead.

February 2018: The first support groups at Jamaa

In February of 2018 we hosted our first moms group at Jamaa BIrth Village, a sacred and safe circle for pregnant and postpartum moms who wanted to gather for peer support. We provided snacks, childcare, transportation and diapers for all moms attending. 

Saint Louis mom support groups
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Okunsola M. Amadou

Okunsola M. Amadou, a Fulani-American Midwife, is the Founder and President of Jamaa Birth Village.

Brittany L. Conteh, professionally known as Priestess Okunsola M. Amadou, Folk Midwife™ and Birth Priestess™, is a pioneering midwife, educator, and preservationist dedicated to redefining the legacy of African Indigenous Midwifery and ensuring its rightful place in the cultural and historical record.

After leading the Jamaa Birth Village organization and midwifery clinic for over a decade and practicing as a Certified Professional Midwife, Okunsola is now transitioning from clinical practice to full-time cultural preservation, focusing on the documentation, protection, and advancement of her patent pending midwife designation paths of Folk Midwifery™ and Birth Priestess™ traditions-globally.

As the Founder & President of Jamaa Birth Village, Okunsola led groundbreaking efforts to transform Black Maternal Health in Missouri and beyond. Her achievements include:

Opening Missouri’s first Black-led midwifery clinic on Juneteenth 2020, after training with traditional midwives and fetish priestesses in Ghana (2013).

Becoming the First Black Certified Professional Midwife & First Black Registered CPM Preceptor in Missouri.

Certifying over 460 Black doulas, significantly closing the Black doula disparity gap in St. Louis and the State of Missouri.

Earning 24 awards for her contributions to Black Maternal Health.

Consulting hospitals, policymakers, and international organizations on equitable maternal care policies.

Receiving ten state/local proclamations, seven resolutions-including a Congressional Resolution for her work in birth justice.

As a Museum Studies scholar, Okunsola graduated from the University of Iowa Museum Studies Program May 2025, after completing an internship at the Missouri Historical Society where she launched a Missouri Midwife archive and pop-up exhibit.

Her leadership has not only expanded access to midwifery and doula services, but also challenged systemic inequities in maternal care, ensuring culturally centered and community-driven solutions.

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