NGO collective and the national department of health’s under 5 Side by Side campaign launches Messages for Mothers (M4M), an initiative that creates and distributes simple messages that answer the questions mothers have about COVID-19 and its effect on the physical and mental well-being of themselves and their families. 

A group of organisations that work closely with South Africa’s mothers have realised the high levels of anxiety and distress brought by the impact of the coronavirus on mothers and their young families. Pregnant mothers, in particular, are feeling anxious about the safety of their unborn babies. There is a lot of incorrect information out there and mothers are feeling more alone than before.  Thus Messages for Mothers was born, an initiative that seeks to ensure mothers are supported with credible, evidence based information on COVID19 and its implications for them and their families, but that also provides content that supports and affirms mothers and reminds them that they are not alone.

As mothers themselves, they understood that the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) represents a time of great uncertainty. Many are anxious – for their children, their families, for themselves and for their future. The groups that are involved are Embrace, Perinatal Mental Health Project, Grow Great and Side by Side. Mothers of South Africa have questions and Message for Mothers will fill this gap by providing answers and support for their unique needs. The M4M platform, we will provide content that is credible, sensitive, relevant and packaged in a way that makes it accessible to mothers all over South Africa.