Kenyan parenting platform MumsVillage launches an online store
The product categories on the site include diapers and wipes, baby gear, toys and books, feeding accessories and safety related products. Parents will have access to global brands such as Aveeno, Avent, Cussons Baby, Johnson & Johnson, Fisher Price, Huggies, Lifebuoy, Pampers and Tommee Tippee and local Kenyan brands Fluffy Buttah, Grounded, Kijani, Marini Naturals and Tinga Tinga Tales.
A supportive place to raise families
MumsVillage attracts thousands of parents in Kenya who get the information they need through its hyper-localised content. The topics range from general parenting advice and information to health and local family events. MumsVillage has been recognised in the media industry for its video content including the award-winning digital talk show, the MumsVillageShow, which is now available to matatu commuters via Moja (BRCK) and digital series on honest conversations on overcoming gender-based violence.
“We have grown to become a trusted source for parenting information and community connection in Kenya,'' said Isis Nyong’o-Madison, MumsVillage CEO. Explaining her rationale behind diversifying into e-commerce, she said.
“The MumsVillageShop meets the need for parents to have a central place to search, select and buy from a wide range of local and global brands, all from the comfort of their homes and offices. The well-known adage ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ is a reflection of our responsibility, in a way, to ensure that the MumsVillage community remains a supportive place to raise families.”
Inclusive digital economy
This development comes on the back of its participation in impact investor Gray Matters Capital’s digital accelerator programme – GMC Calibrator since March this year. MumsVillage also gained support for its e-commerce foray through its participation in the Unilever-DFID Transform partnership and Alibaba eFounders Fellowship.
“It is great to see one of the members from the first class of the eFounders programme bring their vision to life. The programme aims to empower young entrepreneurs to be champions for an inclusive digital economy, and the growth of MumsVillage serves as a positive indicator for the advancement of e-commerce in the region,” said a spokesperson of Alibaba and UNCTAD eFounders-Initiative.
Cultivating villagepreneurs
One of the unique features of the MumsVillageShop is the Villagepreneur programme that provides opportunities for entrepreneurial mothers to set up their online storefronts and help shoppers compare and select the right products, giving them a seamless shopping experience.
One such mum-preneur who has listed herself for the programme is a 35-year-old interior designer, Nelly Maina from Nairobi. “I am passionate about child safety and comfort. I am excited to be part of the Villagepreneur programme because it will allow me to sell quality products while advising mums on the best products to ensure the safety of their children. You can find me decorating interior spaces during my free time,” she says.
