In April 2004, a group of midwives from these five countries took a ground-breaking step by coming together in Costa Rica to share their experiences as midwives in their respective countries. Their tales reflect their love and devotion to their work, and their ongoing commitment to the many women they have helped through childbirth.

They tell their stories of how unjust their health systems are and share harrowing accounts of health care systems which fail its people.

Central American Midwives, the charitable organization that funded this assembly, produced a DVD depicting these women’s stories. In the documentary, one of the Nicaraguan midwives, Doña Alicia, compares the care the traditional midwives give to the impersonal care of the local hospital; “The midwife offers love and trust and confidence and she doesn’t do it mechanically like the nurses and doctors. However, I don’t mean to offend these health care workers, who do the best job they can. For example, a woman goes to have her baby in a hospital. In the room she will find a nurse, a person who cleans and another woman in the next bed to her. The doctor arrives and says "let’s see lady, open your legs", and the woman feels ashamed. On the other hand if a midwife attends this woman in the privacy of her own home, the woman experiences trust.”

Doña Alicia went on to say that she didn’t want to offend the doctors because they do offer good care when they are needed. But that they do not possess the kindness of a midwife, and often lack the patience the midwife has.

Josefa Mira, a midwife from El Salvador, explained that the midwives are constantly monitoring the progress of the labour and when a complication presents itself they organize immediate transfer to a hospital. “And we don’t only care for women of the community during pregnancy and birth”, she said. “We also look after the general health of women and their families, domestic violence and all the illnesses that are common in our communities.”