COMMUNITY HERO’S SUPPORT OF SWANSEA MUMS CELEBRATED BY AMAZON

An Amazon employee who supports the community in Swansea has been named as a regional winner in the company’s national That’s BENtastic awards.

Maureen Ekenna works at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea and joined the company in 2021. She was nominated for a That’s BENtastic award for her work in the Swansea community, where she runs groups and activities for new mums who have immigrated to the UK.

Maureen’s support of new mums in the community organising includes picnics, trips to play centres, swimming lessons, motherhood questions and answer sessions and karaoke parties.

Now in its third year, That’s BENtastic is an awards campaign run by Amazon’s Black Employee Network (BEN) and recognises and rewards black employees, and those who support the black community, and have had a positive impact on society.

“I am a Black immigrant and a first-time mum in the UK. Being a mum has been the most satisfying experience of my life, but it has also been really challenging as there are no family members to help like there are back home,” Maureen explains. “I wanted to do things I enjoy like going back to the gym or meeting friends, but as we know, babies or children are not allowed in some places like gyms. Things became a challenge and I slowly felt like my life stopped moving.”

“This challenge gave birth to a group I run called Mums and Toddlers for mums from ethnic minorities. The group has been running with the help of my husband, who manages African Community Centre (ACC) to help fund our expenditures on providing activities, support for mums and their babies.”

“Our group now has more than 100 mums and babies. They come together to do things they enjoy and to support each other to thrive through motherhood. We’ve done a lot of social activities and we’ve welcomed special guests to speak to us on childhood trauma, nutrition, the work of the midwives and health visitors and more.”

Maureen started the group for mums and toddlers from the community to provide support and activities that are not only centred on the babies, but also involve mums interacting with each other. She wants to encourage mums to speak openly about their challenges, while building a community where mums can support each other, breaking the barrier of isolation and promoting inclusiveness and building confidence.

Maureen also provides essentials item such as nappies, clothes and prams through the ACC and secures donations to support struggling mums. She also organises trips, activities, and wellbeing sessions for mums to promote good mental wellbeing.

Speaking after being named as a regional winner at the national finals of the That’s BENtastic awards, Maureen added:

“I’m grateful to have been nominated for this award and I’m really happy to have won the regional prize. My motivation for entering the awards was not to win, but to raise awareness of the struggles facing new mums in the UK. I think it’s important for people to be aware of the issues some new mums can face, and I hope more mums come forward to join groups like mine in the future.”

Ramona Williams, Chair of BEN UK Ops, added: “Maureen is one of the many fantastic BEN ambassadors working at Amazon across the UK and it’s great to recognise her efforts to support the black community inside and outside Amazon with this award. Maureen’s work in the community has a profound impact on many people and she is a much-valued member of the team at Amazon in Swansea.”

The Black Employee Network (BEN) is an employee resource group, also known as an affinity group, at Amazon open to Black employees and allies. BEN’s mission at Amazon is to recruit, retain, and empower Black employees across the business. BEN UK Ops is a branch of the network specifically for employees in the operational arm of Amazon’s business. Through BEN employees have access to resources, networking opportunities and engaging initiatives to support their personal and professional growth.

Amazon has 13 affinity groups which play an important role in bringing Amazon employees together and creating a sense of community globally while encouraging inclusivity and diversity. These groups include the BEN, Glamazon, Asians@Amazon, People with Disabilities and Women@Amazon.

 To find out more about diversity at Amazon, visit About Amazon.