Mothers Supporting Mothers

By Medgclay Salano, Project Officer, Centre for Behaviour Change and Communication

Linda Nekesa, a second-time mother, joined the Weyuya mother-to-mother support group a few weeks before giving birth to her twins. Named after the Swahili word for "faster" and based in the Bunyala Central Ward in Kenya’s Navakholo sub-county since March 2022, Weyuya serves as a savings and loan group, while also providing education to mothers on important health topics. During support group sessions, led by community health volunteer Neddy Luvale for the past six years, Linda learned about early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding, and correct breastfeeding positioning. Reflecting on what she had learned, she realized that she had not taken breastfeeding seriously with her first born.?

Neddy visited Linda after she delivered her twins and emphasized the importance of breastfeeding her infants. Linda made a commitment to practice what she had learned in the group sessions. A week or so later, Linda's mother-in-law visited and brought maize flour for the twins. She insisted that the babies would not thrive on breast milk alone and needed porridge to facilitate faster and healthier growth. Linda challenged her mother-in-law, explaining that she had been trained in exclusive breastfeeding, including the avoidance of water for the first six months. She vowed not to repeat the mistake she made with her firstborn, who started consuming porridge after only one month. Currently, Linda exclusively breastfeeds her twins, and they are growing well. Fortunately, Linda's mother-in-law supported her decision.

Neddy actively encourages Weyuya group members to attend biweekly meetings held every Tuesday and Saturday. She conducts outreach by visiting their homes, making phone calls, and sending text messages. Under her guidance, the group has expanded to include four mother-to-mother support subgroups, each comprising about 22 members—including three grandmothers serving as caregivers, two fathers, and six expectant mothers. The remaining members are caregivers with children between the ages of two and four years old.

The Centre for Behaviour Change and Communication (CBCC) in Kenya supports Weyuya group meetings through the Obulesi Obulahi project, funded by the New Partnerships Initiative through USAID Advancing Nutrition , which focuses on improving the health and nutrition of women and children. The mother-to-mother support groups have allowed community health volunteers to reach a large number of women and facilitate referrals?to the nearest healthcare facility for complicated cases. This was not possible in the past, when CHVs solely relied on conducting home visits.

As the Obulesi Obulahi project completes its second and final year, CBCC will work with the sub-county government to find ways to continue to support mother-to-mother support groups and collaborate with CHVs like Neddy to ensure their sustainability.?