Last Wednesday, the iconic Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) South Kensington in London transformed into a dazzling celebration of the power of women to change lives, as mothers2mothers (m2m) hosted The Mothers’ Ball for its second year. Over 300 guests, including Bridgerton stars Jessica Madsen, Victor Alli and Hannah Dodd, U2’s Adam Clayton, David Harewood, Denise Gough and Sol Campbell, gathered to celebrate the diversity, vibrancy, and excellence of the African continent and the work of the incredible m2m Mentor Mothers who are building healthy futures for their communities. 

The evening was hosted by former Team GB athlete, Perri Shakes-Drayton. Guests enjoyed a specially curated menu by Opy Odutayo of The Future Plate and entertainment from Scottish Jazz Singer Natalie Rushdie, The Zulu Stomp, singer-songwriter ELIZA, and a DJ set by Cuppy. The event also featured an auction led by Veronica Scarpati of Christie’s London, with money-can’t-buy items, including special donations from m2m ambassador Sabrina and her husband , Universal Music, as well as Burberry. 

This year’s theme, The Woman Who Changed My Life, invited guests to reflect on the women who have shaped their journeys, and highlighted the inspiring stories from m2m clients about the woman who changed their lives—m2m Mentor Mother Bupe Sinkala from Zambia. Bupe was in London to represent the Power of Mother—the shared experience and understanding between m2m Mentor Mothers and their clients that is the foundation of m2m’s approach to health care—and the power of African women to creating lasting change. Her words were a clear reminder that each of us have the power to make a difference: 

“I am here because I was in a situation where the only options were to give up or keep fighting. And I don’t give up…You might think you are just one person and that the challenges are too big, but I ask you to remember just one thing. That I too, am just a normal person, from Zambia, who wants to help others navigate life-changing moments more easily than I did.” 

By training and employing women living with HIV, like Bupe, as community health workers, known as Mentor Mothers, m2m not only expands access to vital health services for families across sub-Saharan Africa, but also keeps them in care and on any treatment they need—long-term. Our model also creates meaningful employment that allows these women to become healthcare champions within their communities. 

Since 2001, m2m has trained and employed over 12,000 Mentor Mothers, who have reached over 16 million people with life-changing health services and helped to keep alive over three million at-risk mothers and babies. Funds raised at The Mothers’ Ball will enable m2m to expand and deepen its work, reaching many more of the most vulnerable and marginalised communities across the African continent, delivering health and hope while creating jobs for African women like Bupe as health professionals. That is the Power of Mother in action. 

The Mothers’ Ball may have come to a close, but the impact continues. As we carry the night’s inspiration forward, m2m invites everyone to invest in the Power of Mother and the power of women to change lives. If you too feel inspired by Bupe’s story, invest in m2m and women like Bupe, so that we can continue to build a healthy future for communities across sub-Saharan Africa. Together we can create a future where women lead, and communities thrive.