A BLACK British mum has launched the first community mobile app for Black mothers in the United Kingdom.
The Blackmums app has been created by Sandra Igwe, founder of The Motherhood Group, a leading support group, that provides workshops, events, and advocacy for Black mothers.
The new app gives Black mothers the opportunity to share advice and information, connect with a like-minded community of other mothers, and even arrange play dates.
Speaking to The Voice, Igwe said she is delighted to see her idea come to life and help so many women.
She said: “You are really seeing a sense of a village, sisterhood and community offering advice, because Black women don’t always trust the services and they tend to want to lean towards each other.”
She added: “It’s been so amazing because we have done that with the Motherhood Group for quite a few years in person.
“We would do events for mums and then they would leave, a lot of people I know have made lifelong friends through our events and they get to do that on a larger scale and digitally now.”
Safe space
The entrepreneur described the app as “safe space” for Black mothers to discuss anything about pregnancy, birth and motherhood, while it also provides peer-to-peer support.
She explained: “I wanted somewhere where we could have conversations about motherhood, but also we wouldn’t have to over explain ourselves and we would understand each other’s culture as we are mums who just get it.”
In 2024, findings from an annual study by maternal health network MBRRACE-UK found that Black women in the UK are 3.7 times more likely to die during or in the first year after pregnancy than White women.
Igwe says through her work, she will continue to highlight gaps in the system and disparities, which are preventing Black women from receiving healthcare that is respectful, culturally competent, safe and of the highest quality.
“All we hear about Black mothers is doom and gloom, like we are more likely to die, more likely to have a C-section, more likely to have depression” she says. “But where is the part where we actually say these are the community-based inventions and solutions? I think that is what makes the app so special”
Available to download on iOS and Android devices now, the app is already proving popular.
It has five main features, which includes the ability to match women who share similar experiences.
“The app actually matches you to another Black mother that’s a similar age or has had similar experiences, lives in the same area, or has the same number of kids” she says.
Community
It also allows Black mothers to decide if they would like to connect with another mum for one-on-one conversations and there is also a live chat option – where women can join at any stage.
“It’s like a big group chat, but if you are shy, you can just sit back and listen in to the conversation” she adds.
Like other traditional social media platforms, Blackmums also allows users to share their day-today activities by uploading pictures.
Igwe is keen to emphasise that the app is a resource that covers many issues linked to motherhood including health issues, skin care, body image, breastfeeding, hair care, relationships and much more.
The mum-of-three revealed she did a diligent search to see if there were any apps specifically for Black mothers and was shocked to discover the domain name was still available.
“It’s the first type of app for Black mothers that is community-centered, there’s none out there,” she says.
Part of Igwe’s passion for helping Black mothers is because of her own personal experiences not being able to find culturally competent and sensitive support.
In 2016, the entrepreneur fell pregnant with her first child.
“Harmed by the system”
In a previous interview with The Voice, she said she believed she was “harmed by the system” during her pregnancy and says experienced discriminatory treatment from a midwife because of the colour of her skin.
“When I went on to have symptoms of depression, I did not want to go back to the system that I thought all worked cohesively together to not have my best interests at heart.”
Igwe never sought professional help, but says attending church regularly and setting up her organisation has been therapy to help her through depression.
“I did everything but go back to the system with my first daughter because of that fear of racism, further trauma, and babies being taken away, using what you said against you,” she adds.
She initially had the idea for the app when she had her first daughter eight years ago and couldn’t find a platform that met her needs.
She said: “I joined Netmums, Mumsnet, Panel Mums, Bounty, and I definitely craved community because I moved from London to the Midlands when I was eight months pregnant.
“I really wanted to meet other women who was going through what I was going through at the time but also resembled me.
“I didn’t want to go to anymore mummy and baby groups and be the only Black woman in the room.
“So, I would join these platforms and these platforms were talking about things that I couldn’t really relate to and I just thought ‘why isn’t there a space for Black mums?’”
App
Even though Igwe set up her advocacy group, she knew it needed to be digital to reach more mothers, but needed funding.
She approached investors eight years ago but reveals it was only recently that she was able to secure the funds to develop the app.
“It’s so needed, the feedback we have had has been incredible,” she said.
In 2023, Igwe launched the UK’s first Black Maternal Health Conference, which aims to highlight racism and bias that has created inequalities in maternity care experienced by Black women in the UK.
Speaking to The Voice, in 2023, the founder said: “We want to rebuild trust between the Black community and maternity service providers and we believe the best way to start will be to hold the Black Maternal Health Conference, so that Black women’s voices can be heard.”
Now in its third year, the historic conference will took place on Friday 21st March at The Minister Building in London.
This year’s theme was “Building Better Futures: Community-Led Solutions”.
This year, Igwe also launched the inaugural Black Maternal Health Awards UK celebrating the changemakers who are transforming Black maternal health care.
“It’s about highlighting all of the wonderful work happening in the space and sector, from grassroots, to charities, to research and allies.”
For more information on Blackmums app, visit: www.blackmums.com
For more information on The Motherhood Group and the Black Maternal Health Conference UK, visit: www.themotherhoodgroup.org
