Vodacom’s Mum and Baby platform, which provides free health information and videos to aid parents and guardians as they deal with pre and post pregnancy, will now be made available to non-Vodacom users.
Launched in March 2017 under the Vodacom Siyakha umbrella, the Mum and Baby platform currently has just over one million registered users and connects mothers and guardians to numerous sources of information. This enables them to learn about their pregnancy and facilitate healthy post-pregnancy years for their little ones.
Users of the platform get access to information (videos, articles on sensitive topics) that isn’t readily available. Additionally, the platform enables them to gain access to other services such as funeral cover.
Since its launch in March, Mum and Baby has only been available to Vodacom users. As of 09 August, 2018 (Women’s Day), however, the offering has been made available to all South African mothers and guardians.
Although not zero-rated for non-Vodacom customers, it will still include:
* An SMS service, which provides three SMSs per week for customers, covering topics related to the various stages of pregnancy.
* A Mobi Site, where users will have access to videos, articles on numerous topics such as sexual and reproductive health, pregnancy information, breastfeeding, immunisation, mother-child bonding, early childhood development, nutrition and HIV/AIDS.
* Tools, such as a due date calculator, medicine checker and immunisation calendar.
In a bid to further evaluate the service and understand the effects of increasing women’s access to mobile in emerging markets, the socio-economic impacts of Mum & Baby are currently being assessed as part of a study being undertaken by KPMG UK. The results of which will be shared later this year.
Response from users of Mum and Baby indicates that the content provided certainly resonates. Many find the sms content informative and have said that the information was personalised and gave them key insights on their baby’s growth and development while in utero. There is a greater sense of control as these women now feel more informed about their pregnancies
Gokhan Ay, managing executive: segment marketing aat Vodacom, comments: “Vodacom understands that life has its challenges and can prove to be very tough for our emerging and mass segment customers. This is why we have extended our Mum and Baby platform to non-Vodacom customers.
“At the end of the day, parents just want to raise their children in the healthiest way possible, and provide a decent education for their children. This Women’s Month, we want to reach out to South African mothers and guardians, granting them easy access to information that will help them along their journey into parenthood.
“These parents might not always be able to get to a clinic, due to it being too far away. In these instances, or those where information from their parents and community members does not satisfy their curious anxiety – they can turn to Vodacom’s Mum and Baby platform. Mum and Baby is here to help them complete their pregnancy in the heathiest way possible as well as aid them in ensuring the healthy upbringing of their little ones during their early years.”
Since its launch, Vodacom’s Mum and Baby has been helping customers gain valuable access to information during and post their pregnancy. Dubbed “a nurse at your fingertips,” it has been playing a vital role in enabling customers to gain valuable information from weekly SMSs, articles and promotional vouchers from retailers.
Vodacom, as well as non-Vodacom customers can visit: http://live.vodacom.co.za/vlive/en/mum?login=true, to register on the Mum and Baby platform. Alternatively, customers can use the *117*6862# USSD string.