The program MAMA – Supporting new and mothers-to-be is implemented afresh by SolidarityNow with the support of Eurolife FFH aiming to support new parents through the provision of a holistic package of supportive services and activities. Prenatal and postnatal counselling sessions, workshops, and events (in person and remotely) for perspective and new mothers and fathers as well as their toddlers, are organized to help them through their first steps as new parents, while also allow them to establish a supportive network on which they can count on during this period.
The MAMA team provides individual and group counselling on the period of pregnancy and baby care, nutrition and the psycho-emotional development of the young child, as well as strengthening the parental bond. The team also organizes discussions and awareness-raising activities on parenting issues. Through MAMA, a healing and safe environment is provided to support and guide parents throughout their first steps starting from pregnant life to postnatal care, parenthood and beyond. The program started in 2023 and continues for 2024 (press release: “Eurolife FFH renews its support to ‘MAMA’ for 2024“).
The activities and initiatives of the program are also presented through social networks:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MAMAprojectSolidarityNow/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mama_postnatal_care/
In its two years of implementation, MAMA has supported over 450 parents through a variety of actions (last updated 22 November 2024):
- Individual counselling on parenting, child nutrition and perinatal care
- Meetings for parents on SolidarityNow and online
- Online and face-to-face workshops on parenting issues
- Awareness-raising activities on women’s health in refugee accommodation sites, Community Centres with a Roma annex and Women’s Associations
- Information meetings for parents and teachers in kindergartens, nurseries and primary schools in Thessaloniki
- Book Clubs in the city’s bookstores and open discussions on a variety of topics
- Participation in city festivals focusing on children and families (Parathinoupoli, Connect Family Festival, Festival of Love).
In the context of the above actions, the MAMA team has collaborated with institutions such as: the Municipality of Thessaloniki (Municipality of Childcare, Family and Civil Society), the Connect Family Day Centre, the Community Centres with a Roma annex of the Municipalities of Katerini, Pavlou Mela, Ampelokipon Menemeni, the Roma Women’s Association of Drosero in Xanthi, La Leche League Greece.
The program is mainly implemented in the city of Thessaloniki and the surrounding areas with physical presence, while online support is also provided to parents from all over Greece.
