Mothers unite to support women starting on this unique journey

With just over a week to go, Mother’s Day is a day associated with celebrating the mothers in your life. However, on this day many feel unsupported and alone as they enter into the journey of motherhood.

Now in its fourth year (and second year in Mpumalanga), the initiative makes new mothers feel special by organising visits to birthing facilities on Mother’s Day. With a team that has more than doubled in size this year, time will be spent encouraging, listening to, laughing with, and honouring mothers who have given birth to their babies over the Mother’s Day weekend at Rob Ferreira Hospital.

“My first experience with Mother’s Day Connect as team member to Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital was incredibly humbling,” Mpumalanga team leader Jessica Prim remembered. “Unaware at the time of the impact I had made on the women whom I spent time with, I became overwhelmed with how many more were in need of a little love and appreciation. This set in motion my decision to make a difference in Mbombela.

“Setting up was not without challenge, but that further underscored my determination, even if it was just to show up,” she said.

The work of the hands and hearts of last year’s team saw that all new mothers, labouring mothers, mothers in the ward who had taken ill, nursing, cleaning and security received gift bags. This year the local team has attracted volunteers from all walks of life, including a number of women from Msholozi-based social enterprise, Ukuthunga Handmade.

These women, mothers themselves, will selflessly give on this day of symbolic celebration of the vital role mothers play in communities around the world.

“We look forward immensely to visiting Rob Ferreira again this year. State hospitals often come under scrutiny.

However, Matron Sithole and her team can be very proud of their establishment,” Prim said. “Our ties to motherhood give us many common experiences that we’re able to lean on as we start conversations and build connections.

“In a society that has historically kept us separate, our shared motherhood provides a tool to slowly and respectfully create paths towards one another,” Prim concluded.

To join the local team who will visit the Rob Ferreira Hospital or to make donations of any kind toward the care packages that are being prepared for mom and baby, email jessica.mauid@gmail.com for more information.

If you would like to be a team leader for a birthing facility, email the movement on mothersday@embrace.org.za or join the official Facebook event page https://www.facebook.com/events/193872608043462/.