www.facebook.com
Zimbabwean Glenda Jele, pictured above, says she started the African Yummy Mummies Facebook page in hopes of inspiring moms to love their curves and to show off their sense of personal style.
Jele posts pictures, along with inspiring quotes like the one below almost daily. “Cross the river in a crowd and the crocodile won’t eat you.” — African proverb. Jele does not identify her models by name, allowing them to post with anonymity.
Jele says, “Women like clothes and enjoy sharing tips on fashion. I thought this would be a great platform to do this.” African Yummy Mummies now has nearly 4,000 likes.
Jele grew up in Zimbabwe but moved to the U.K. to attend university. She’s a mom herself, and lives with her daughter in Norwalk, England. When she’s not focusing on empowering African moms through fashion, she works as a psychiatric nurse.
After childbirth, Jele says, women’s bodies change, “and a lot of ladies become depressed and have low self-esteem. I understand, I’m a mom myself. So I hope with this page I can show that you can be a mum and still rock.”
Jele says many of the African women posting on her page live abroad. “I want to help break down the cultural barriers of certain dress codes,” she said. “I also wanted to let African females know it is OK to enjoy fashion and dressing a certain way.”
Everyone has a different personal style, and Jele makes an effort to showcase a variety of looks. But she says the page is more than just fashion, it’s meant to be a community forum as well. “Our yummy mums share pictures, but they also share tips, ideas on raising children and can even use the page to promote their businesses,” Jele says of her vision.
If the look was inspired by another fashion blogger, stylist or even celebrity, Jele makes sure to note it in the accompanying text and link to that person’s Facebook account. The outfit featured in this photo, for instance, was inspired by African fashionista Holy Charryshe.
Jele says African Yummy Mummies wants to encourage, inspire and represent all women, mothers in particular, of all African nationalities ages, shapes and sizes. “Your fashion style is not discriminated (against). We believe everyone is unique and thus we represent without being judgmental. Only encouraging, supportive comments will be tolerated. We believe in the saying: ‘If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say it.'”
If you are an African, have a child and would like to featured, submit a photo to fabmums1@gmail.com.
