Rooted in a real story
MomRooted was built from scar tissue and faith — and offered to every mother still trying.
Witness Emmanueli
Founder & Executive Director · B.S. Health Information Management
Witness immigrated to the United States carrying the same hope that drives millions of women from developing nations to American shores. What she found, as countless immigrant mothers discover, was a system that is vast, complex and largely indifferent to those who do not know how to navigate it. She learned — slowly, sometimes painfully, always faithfully — how to find her footing in a country that was not built with her in mind. She has built and run a home daycare business, navigated American healthcare, special education and disability advocacy, and held a household together through difficult seasons.
“This dream has been in my heart for almost 8 years,” she says, “ever since I lost my first baby.”
Education & healthcare experience
Witness holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management from Western Governors University. Her experience spans medical records, healthcare documentation, patient care and HIPAA compliance — practical knowledge that strengthens MomRooted's guidance through complex care systems.
The seasons that shaped it
The first loss
A son carried for seven months, anticipated with the full joy of first-time motherhood, and then gone. The people around her were unprepared for the weight of her grief; some said hurtful things where comfort was needed. In the silence that followed, a desire took root that never left: to be for other mothers what nobody was for her.
Veronica and the power of advocacy
Her second pregnancy brought Veronica, later diagnosed with autism. Witness advocated persistently for services, therapies and the right classroom. Today, at seven, Veronica speaks, learns alongside her classmates, rides the regular bus and helps care for her siblings. Her principal once called a meeting simply to ask how her mother had done it.
Vivian, joy after grief
Her third pregnancy brought Vivian — born healthy, talkative and full of energy. Her arrival brought genuine joy into a family that had already walked through significant loss.
Vinny, born at 27 weeks
Born four months early at approximately one pound. Six months in hospital, around ten blood transfusions, and constant medical support. Witness closed her daycare business, travelled between home and hospital, and when the hospital recommended long-term care, she brought him home instead — with breathing support and a G-tube, barely sleeping. After roughly five months at home his devices were removed. Today he is two, healthy and walking.
The lesson about support
A mother can be surrounded by people and still feel profoundly alone. Having family does not always mean having support. Real support means someone shows up, listens, helps and guides. That is precisely what MomRooted is built to provide.
Mission
MomRooted exists to ensure that no mother faces her hardest seasons alone. It walks alongside mothers who are stuck, overwhelmed and invisible to conventional support systems, guiding them toward healing, helping them navigate the resources and opportunities available to them, and equipping them to build lives of greater independence, confidence and purpose.
Vision
A world where every mother — regardless of her background, immigration status, financial situation, language or the challenges she carries — has access to a trusted community, practical guidance, and the unwavering belief that her current situation does not define her future.
Rooted leadership, shared purpose
The people helping MomRooted turn lived experience into organized, practical support for mothers.
Witness Emmanueli
Founder & Executive Director · B.S. Health Information Management
Witness brings lived motherhood experience, entrepreneurship and a healthcare background to MomRooted's vision, programs and advocacy.
Goreth “Gogo” Sunzu
Operations Manager & Finance/Treasurer
Gogo holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Information Management and oversees the day-to-day operations and financial organization of MomRooted. She coordinates schedules, meetings, team communication, documents, tasks, and follow-up to help keep the organization running smoothly. She also supports financial management, including budgeting, payments, expenses, financial records, and payroll. She works closely with the Founder and leadership team to turn ideas into organized plans and make sure responsibilities are followed through.
Tumaini Agnes
Assistant Director of Programs & Community
With a Bachelor's degree in Communication, Tumaini Agnes supports programs, community engagement, confidence-building, storytelling and outreach.
Kehinde Precious Damilola
Business & Financial Education Advisor · Build Pillar
An accounting graduate and business consultant, Precious guides MomRooted's Build pillar — helping moms with budgeting, costing and pricing, bookkeeping, business planning, financial organization and digital marketing as they turn their skills and ideas into income.
Francine Mwavita
Administrative Assistant
Francine has a background in Accounting Administration and Bookkeeping, along with experience providing Patient Administration support within a military healthcare setting. She provides administrative support to MomRooted by assisting with organization, scheduling, documentation, record management, reminders, and day-to-day administrative operations.
Orestina Desire “Tina”
Resource & Research Coordinator
Tina is a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) who supports MomRooted through resource research, healthcare-related information, community programs, and identifying helpful services and opportunities for mothers. She helps the team gather accurate information and connect mothers with appropriate resources.
Leticia Simon
Mom Ambassador Coordinator
Leticia has experience working with patients and older adults and has strong knowledge of community resources. She has a genuine passion for helping others and connecting people with the support and resources they need. She helps keep ambassadors informed, connected, and engaged. She communicates updates, gathers feedback, identifies the needs ambassadors are hearing from mothers, and coordinates ambassador participation in MomRooted activities and events.
Core values
Authentic Community
The most powerful resource available to any mother is another mother who has walked a similar road and come through it. Real relationships over transactional services.
Radical Inclusion
Everything is designed to be accessible, culturally sensitive and genuinely welcoming to mothers at every stage, from every background, in every circumstance.
Practical Compassion
Compassion without direction leaves a mother feeling heard but still lost. Every mother leaves with concrete next steps and real resources.
Integrity and Trust
Mothers come to MomRooted at their most vulnerable. That vulnerability is treated as sacred: truth even when uncomfortable, and promises that are kept.
Faith-Informed Hope
Born from the tested conviction that no season is permanent and no mother is beyond hope — while serving mothers of all faith backgrounds and none.
Empowerment Over Dependency
Success is measured by how many mothers grow into women who no longer need to be told they are capable, because they have proven it to themselves.
Why 'Rooted'
To be rooted is to be grounded, stable in the face of storms, and capable of growth that reaches as high as the roots go deep. The name carries the founder's own story: a woman uprooted from Tanzania, transplanted into unfamiliar soil, who grew roots strong enough to hold her family — and now reaches back to help other mothers do the same.
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