Over the past decade, the Embrace Movement for Mothers has championed an ambitious vision, one where South Africa becomes the best place to be a mother. A vision where every mother has exactly what they need to meet their motherhood goals. Motherhood is a complex reality for so many mothers. It carries hope as we envision our children growing and developing their own purpose. It also carries deep burdens as we navigate a journey of motherhood within systems and structures that do not support our flourishing. Motherhood must exist beyond the sentimental. Mothers are the backbone of society, often held responsible for the outcomes of their children BUT with very little input or support that yields meaningful impact. To change this, we need to make mothers and the work of motherhood visible. Our work has shown us that mothers hold the solutions and that these are informed by their lived experiences. Our approach is rooted in the principle that you always start by listening to mothers. The Embrace Network began because our conversations with mothers identified a gap. Women and mother-led organisations around the country were doing amazing things for their communities, but they were often working in silos. There was a need to build a trusted community where ideas could be shared, problems voiced and solutions strengthened by connecting with like-minded partners. Motherhood gives us a model for engagement, and so we lead with empathy. We listen to each other. We see nurture and care as our collective responsibility, and we speak up boldly when we see injustice. The Embrace Network is working to make the lives of mothers softer on the ground. While our individual work may or may not overtly centre mothers, we all engage with mothers regularly and honour their place in our communities and in their families. We know that if mothers are cared for, their children and families will benefit too. Whilst the Embrace Network functions as a national network, it is made up of local nodes. Each node comprises of members who have geographic proximity to each other. This helps to sustain relationships, allows for easier resource sharing, enables referrals to other network partners and makes it possible for each node to prioritise its focus on what will benefit the mothers in their local context. Nodes are encouraged to regularly share insights with the Embrace hub as this forms part of a broader social listening strategy that allows the Network to contribute to national advocacy efforts. The Embrace Network is open to all individuals and organisations whose work intersects with the lives of mothers. To register as a network member, complete the membership form. What is the Network?
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