By Isabel Ovalle
When a baby comes into the world, the road ahead for parents gets bumpy. If the miracle of life happens in a country that is not your own, or it is, but you are new to the job and absolutely need a friendly hand to give you a few tips, an organized group of mothers would be your life saver.
The premise behind Doha Mums is to be the gathering point for “trusted mums” in Doha. This group was put together by a mother who first moved to Doha from the US in 2008, Roxanne Davis. Upon her arrival to the city, she decided to implement here a format that she found very helpful in Houston, Texas, where she lived before transferring to Qatar.
The project began with 50 members, a number that within a year had reached 375, and is now of over 1,200. Roxanne Davis explained to The Peninsula that before Doha Mums, formerly Doha Expat Mums and Kids, there were play groups, but “a Mum went to those and then left, while a Mum’s group is different, it has other connecting elements”.
Now they have about 90 events a month plus an online forum for members only where they can ask for advice and “one of those 1,200 people will have an answer for you”. About 100 different nationalities are represented in the group, “there is pretty much someone from everywhere”. To get hooked on Doha Mums, there is a new arrivals coffee every month, as well as a new and expectant mum’s coffee, a night out and play groups. Nevertheless, the group is very organic and any member can suggest activities.
Davis, a mother of two, informed that “prospective members have to attend an event to register, that forces them out of the house, and after that they can branch out and create a social group from there”. Forthcoming members must be mums who have children who are living with them here in Qatar or must be pregnant or expecting a child via adoption.
The founder and administrator of Doha Mums also added that members can build a life line out of the group, “it’s the way they meet all the people they know and they never feel like the odd man out, since everybody here is new, it really helps”, she added.
Since Doha is traditionally a place where expats come to work, many members of the group are transitional, “they don’t stay more than three years”. In this context, Davis encouraged other mothers out there to join, given that it is a “good way to meet people outside their regular group”.
There are a few Qatari women in the group but, for the most part, explained Davis, “just as in my home country I already have a support system, they don’t habitually reach out because they are set”. The most prevalent country in the group is the UK, plus 19 percent of Muslim members and a large number of mothers from Egypt and India. From South Africa to Lebanon, with stops in Syria, India, Zimbabwe, Australia, to UK, Canada and the USA, the number of countries is as long as the index of an Atlas and it reflects Doha’s multicultural population perfectly.
On their website Doha Mums gives a list of ten reasons to persuade potential members to join the group, one of them is that this fleet of mothers is a resource for many things, including information about local activities and the best nurseries. It is also a great opportunity to meet other women from their home countries or from far corners of the globe. Ultimately, Doha Mums encourages mothers out there to join because “you deserve it”.
Members of Doha Mums volunteer to organize and host events. Activities also include playgroups, new and expectant mums coffee, new arrivals coffee in two locations, Landmark Mall and Hyatt Plaza, the mums only coffee and the mums night out, among others. They also offer support groups for different issues, such as depression or cancer.
The membership fee is QR150 a year and Doha Mums members can also take advantage of a Deals Card with discounts for members in over 160 places, from Auto Assistance and Children’s Services to Restaurants, Veterinary care and airline tickets.
Among other activities held, is the Halloween party that was celebrated on the 13th of October. It was the fifth edition, the second one that gathered a large number of guests, with a total of 518 people. The event took place in the Diplomatic Club, in the West Bay area. Two hundred children participated in the contest with prices for Best, Most Original and Scariest Costume. The party included food and drinks for all the participants, as well as numerous activities for the kids such as bouncy castles, face painting and bowling.
The Peninsula
