Welcome to my Blog

My name is Francesca, I am a midwife and the founder of this project. As a midwife, I walk alongside women* in one of the most powerful and vulnerable transitions of life. This work has taught me that birth is never “just medical”, it is always deeply cultural, social, and political.

About me

I’ve witnessed birth before I fully understood its weight. As a newly finished midwife, I saw how birth could be both, a place of strength and a place of exclusion. I watched how language, background, or simply the way someone is perceived can decide whether they are met with dignity or with distance. Each time, something inside me resisted. This cannot be how we treat people.

Because birth is not only about bringing life into the world. It is also about belonging, about the right to be seen and held in our most vulnerable moments. Because if we cannot meet one another with dignity and compassion at the very beginning of life, then where will we?

What Born to Rise is about

Born to Rise is my way of responding. Not with answers but with presence.

I want to sit beside, listen, and share.

Because I believe:

Every story deserves to be carried with care and every story has the power to shape the future.

Born to Rise is a documentary journey carried by film, interviews and photography. It begins in India in November 2025 and will grow step by step through encounters with women, midwives, activists and many more, in different parts of the world. The intention is not to collect images or compare, but to listen, to connect, and to give space to voices that too often remain unheard.

Born to Rise will grow into a documentary. through film, photography, and interviews, that shows birth not only as a personal experience, but also as a cultural, social, and political mirror.

I step into this work knowing that I come from a place of privilege. My task is not to speak for others, but to hold space, to accompany, and to carry stories with care so that they can be seen in their own strength.

Why it matters

The way we are born leaves an imprint, not only on individuals but on communities. The systems, structures, and rituals around birth mirror the values of the societies we live in, they reveal who is included, who is excluded, and what we choose to protect.

Through visual storytelling, I believe we can open new perspectives and invite reflection. Stories create bridges: they allow us to learn from one another, to challenge what feels inevitable, and to strengthen the threads that connect us across borders.

What to Expect Here

This blog is a place for stories along the way, the process, the people, and the moments that give shape to Born to Rise. You will find glimpses behind the scenes, as well as the voices of the people who choose to share their stories.

Alongside these posts, I will also share video blogs on YouTube, moments and updates on Instagram, and photographs that carry the spirit of the journey, which you can all find link to here. If you feel called to support Born to Rise in a more direct way, you can also find the link to my - GoFundMe here - every contribution helps this vision come to life.

Thank you for being here, for reading, and supporting me. Let’s rise together.

With love, Francesca.

Hi, it's me Francesca