In its initial phase, mothers2mothers (m2m) recruits mothers living with HIV who have completed a pregnancy. These mothers, called Mentor Mothers, serve as peer mentors and educators to HIV-positive pregnant women and HIV-positive women who have recently given birth.

Mentor Mothers are employed and paid as integral, valuable and professional members of the health care team. Mentor Mothers are trained by m2m certified trainers using a rigorous training curriculum. They are viewed as integral members of the health care team and are paid as health care professionals. They servce a 13 month term, allowing a new group of Mentor Mothers to be hired, trained and empowered each year.

By design m2m sites are co-located within medical care sites providing PMTCT services, and thus provide complimentary services. When a woman arrives for her first antenatal visit, she is paired with a Mentor Mother. This Mentor Mother performs an assessment to determine what the client understands about HIV and its ramifications for her health, her child’s health, and her life, and all the factors that influence her living. If the client desires, her Mentor Mother will accompany her to her medical appointments and aid the woman in completing referral appointments. Additionally, the Mentor Mothers lead group meetings and discussions with all the participating women in the program so that the women benefit from the support of others. The Mentor Mother also acts as an advocate on the labor wards, ensuring that treatment is provided during the birth process to prevent transmission.

mothers2mothers was developed in response to perceived medical and social needs to keep mothers in care after delivery. To address these factors, m2m also speaks to the postpartum woman’s questions and needs with regard to feeding, accessing family health care, and adjusting to life in the community as a woman and mother living with HIV. m2m acknowledges the physical and emotional  challenges of the postpartum period. 

Recognizing the importance of extending the program into the community, townships, and villages,  m2m also utilizes the seasoned skills and talents of Mentor Mothers to provide community education and outreach on topics related to reproductive health, especially HIV/AIDS. Site Coordinators and Mentor Mothers regularly travel to clients’ homes and/or invite family members to a mothers2mothers location in order to provide education and support to women who are disclosing their HIV status. In addition, m2m adapts to rural health care settings where women cannot travel to the nearest health care facility for ANC visits and/or delivery, playing an integral role in promoting ARV therapy adherence.

Mothers' Creations employs women from the m2m program, who are taught to make high-quality, colourful beadwork by hand. These products are then marketed across the world. The program fosters independence and self reliance by assisting the mothers to open bank accounts and by offering basic financial management training. Mothers’ Creations is run entirely for the benefit of its workers. Mothers involved with the project are also encouraged to continue to seek health care services for themselves and for their children in a continuation of mothers2mothers’ work.