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Message From Our Founder
Does Your Parenting Style Invite Your Daughter Closer?
Recently, our founder, Francine Mbvoumbo, was on the train when a group of friends boarded, carrying shopping bags. Two sat across from her, and she overheard their conversation.
“Our parents are very strict,” one said.
“I don’t want to go home. I want to stay out forever and get drunk,” the other replied.
Francine didn’t know their families or what had prompted those words. But the feeling behind them was familiar.
Growing up, she had strict parents. Although she didn’t express herself in those same words, there were times when she dreaded their presence and felt afraid at home. People often ask where her discipline comes from. That upbringing helped shape it—but it also left her reflecting on the emotional cost.
Francine doesn’t have children yet. Her perspective comes from being a daughter and from years of listening to women as the founder of Mothers to Daughters.
Over the years, mothers have shared familiar concerns:
“She doesn’t open up.”
“She talks back.”
“She’s secretive.”
“She only seems happy when she’s talking to her friends.”
Behind those concerns is often a mother who wants to connect. But what might her daughter say if she felt comfortable speaking honestly?
Does your parenting style draw your daughter closer—or steer her away?
Are you repeating patterns inherited from your own parents? Have you considered which approaches remain helpful and which might need to evolve? Can your daughter disagree respectfully without fearing your response? Who else does she have to turn to for guidance?
Someone once raised a concern with Francine: could Mothers to Daughters alienate biological mothers if their daughters grew closer to the women supporting them as mentors?
It is a sensitive question. A mother’s relationship with her daughter matters deeply. Yet should the possibility of another meaningful connection prevent a young woman from receiving mentorship?
There is room for more than one trusted woman in a daughter’s life.
A mentor can offer another perspective, encouragement and space to reflect. That support may also help a young woman find the words for conversations she struggles to have at home.
Francine founded Mothers to Daughters to expand the circle of support available to women across generations. That vision invites mothers, daughters and mentors to learn from one another—and to consider how inherited wisdom can evolve to meet the needs of the next generation.
Join the mentoring program
For young women aged 18–39 seeking guidance, and women ready to share their experience as mentors, our community offers an opportunity to build meaningful connections across generations.
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What We've Been Up To
MAFO Dress Brunch
During the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Mothers to Daughters collaborated with Kibonen Nfi to host a beautiful brunch, gathering influential figures and powerful women for a conversation of African fashion, female entrepreneurship, and community.
Work, Innovation, and Opportunity
On September 21, Mothers to Daughters founder Francine Mbvoumbo spoke at Vivacity Development's conference on Preparing the Next Generation for the Global Economy. This event was a great opportunity for attendees and speakers alike to learn about economic preparedness.
Decoded Futures AI Learning Cohort
Founder Francine Mbvoumbo and Program Experience Lead Janet Phan attended the Decoded Futures AI Learning Cohort. This series of workshops focuses on how social sector organizations can leverage AI for impact. Over the next month, we'll be exploring building AI fluency and high impact use-cases, assess problem scoping and workflow design. We're excited to discover how AI could refine our existing workflows to allow for more time to focus on relationships and creativity as we continue to build our community.
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Upcoming Events
Dec 5: KiBONEN x Mothers to Daughters Brunch at Miami Art Basel
February 9: M2D Legacy Walk Fashion Show
May 12 M2D Mother’s Day Dinner
October 28: Ball of Wisdom in Toronto
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Follow Us On Social Media for All Updates and Upcoming Events
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Generations in Motion
We are currently gearing up for a great season with the reopening of applications for Generations in Motion, the entrepreneurial and generational intelligence mentorship program. Through collaboration and intergenerational insight, women of all ages and backgrounds can lift one another up while exchanging guidance.
Program Includes
- Tailored Mentorship
- 1:1 Guidance
- Exclusive Networking
- Lifelong Community
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Generational Intelligence Corner
Menopausal women often experience negative interactions with their healthcare providers when seeking care during this transitional stage of life. Organizations such as InAWH and IMS continue to advocate and research on behalf of over a quarter of the worlds women.
As Mothers to Daughters continues to advocate for the wellbeing of women, we would like to highlight the Institute Advancing Women's Health. On October 9th InAWH hosted its inaugural convening, gathering experts on women's midlife health to draw attention towards an under-explored subject. The Female Quotient recently hosted their health summit, hosting leaders across science, healthcare, and business to discuss the progression in women's health. Often times these topics aren't only overlooked in the medical field, but not spoken about between women themselves. Being able to open up about the often invisible struggles within a like-minded community is the first step towards representation.
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Workshop Speakers
Mothers to Daughters is looking for knowledgable speakers to collaborate with our Generations in Motions program! Our mentorship program will be hosting a series of webinars across a variety of subjects to further inform mentees.
Through these workshops we will strengthen intergenerational mentorship and empower the leaders of tomorrow.
Subjects Include
Leadership & Management
Career Development
Financial Literacy
Health & Wellness Practices
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