Mama Themba provides hope to vulnerable new Mothers in the Western Cape of South Africa by offering them valuable antenatal and breastfeeding education.

Friday, October 25, 2013

October news: BB support groups

                     The 'Funky Females' Bosom Buddies support group from School of Hope with                                             Frances and our American friend, Shanon.

The support group format has proven very successful for Bosom Buddies. It offers counselling and support, but more than that, companionship and rapport between people in similar circumstances or recovering from similar problems. It is disappointing that our groups aren’t always as well supported as we would like. People don’t recognise the benefits of this format and often might consider it too much effort to join our groups. However, support groups fall in line perfectly with the spirit of Ubuntu and community support and enhancement.
Our most successful support group is at the School of Hope, where I meet with the ‘Funky Females’ on Friday mornings. This is a group of young women who have had children or are pregnant while attending school. I have built a strong relationship with these girls and love them. Our group is honest and the only rule we have is that everything we talk about is confidential. The beautiful result is to witness the friendships that has been formed between the girls. They are there for each other and support one another even when I am not there. They trust each other, cry together, laugh together and share this difficult journey of motherhood, even more complicated since they are single and school-going.

Thank you School of Hope, what a privilege to share our resources, to work together and to give hope.


Oversees support for Bosom Buddies
We are blessed to have supporters from all over the world. Lately we have had more donations from the UK than locally – can you believe that?
Our donations come by mail, or sent in the luggage of travellers. The power of the social media has shrunk the world so hugely that we have friends reading our stories and being touched by our moms, from all over the world. We have also hosted many international visitors at Thembalitsha, who then go home and collect and fundraise for us. At this time I would like to dedicate our blog to these people and thank you so very much for your effort and expense.
Carry On 4 Babies, such an awesome initiative, sending baby stuff with travellers to SA from the UK.
Old dear friend Zoe Lee.
The Simmons’ who bring a huge case every 6 months – and thanks to their friends and family who collect year-round.
Aunt Jan sends a package every second week! Somewhere in London are grannies knitting beautiful caps and booties and I know that this is so enormously special to the mother who is nursing her little premature baby here at our hospital. To be so thought of and loved by a stranger from afar is a hugely humbling and privileged feeling.

                                          Roadside pick-up of a suitcase all the way from the UK!

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