Our Story
In 2013, we were six young women from six different parts of the world. We’d never met, but we had some big things in common - we were all new mums or expectant mums and we had fled to the UK to seek asylum and protection for our babies.
HAPPY BABY COMMUNITY
Our individual experiences are very difficult to tell, we had all fled from unimaginable horrors and sought safety in the UK. We all had newborns or babies on the way, and were alone in this country. We were desperate to feel safe, to learn and work like other young women, and provide a better life for our little families. Working with the Helen Bamber Foundation, the six of us met for the first time in 2014. The immediate friendships we formed had an enormous impact on the way we felt and we shared our experiences as new mums.
Our community started small. As new mums joined, we started to work with other charities that supported us when we gave birth, making sure we weren’t alone in hospital, providing baby clothes and help in knowing what to do. It eased the worries that come with having a newborn baby, such as the stress of not sleeping and concern over doing things the right way.
Image used by kind permission of Anita Klein
a little peace and quiet
From the mums that have been there from the start, to those who have just arrived, we protect each other through shared knowledge, friendship, and understanding. Whilst our babies play, we get much-needed time to concentrate on our mental and physical well being, making us feel strong, supported and, most importantly, normal.
The Happy Baby Community
Who we supported in 2022:
Number of women
1374
Number of children
1840
Number of volunteers
182
The power of a Virtual Community
2202
Community members have attended
559
Community members regularly attend English classes
102
Children have attended the singing and storytelling sessions
14
Language groups
25
Yoga Classes
398
Antenatal Classes
THE Virtual COMMUNITY runs on Zoom. Coordinated by our outstanding Community Leader, it offers two days of activities, support and fun through multiple Zoom breakout rooms. 10.30am – 3.30pm
“Before my life was very bad and now I come here, I feel relaxed, I feel something changed in myself. Sometimes I feel happy inside. Like a smile inside.”
“I need to be in an environment like this to get support from the other mums and to get used to the environment of having children. I felt very down and stressed at the beginning of the pregnancy and this has helped me to get out of the house and ask for support.”
“This group has changed my life.”
WE ARE THe LEADERS
The Happy Baby Community is full of clever, resourceful and wise mums. We know what a difference it made to be supported when we had our babies. We want to help others mums to have a safe, caring community to belong to. We want to help the children in the Community to be successful.
We are working with a team of coaches and mentors to build our leadership team. We are determined to be the first refugee charity in the UK run and managed by its members. We have skills and we have energy.
If you would like to be part of this program as a coach or a mentor, please get in touch.
