'High Tea Afternoon': Nairobi women gather for conversations on modern motherhood, identity and wellness
A section of women attending the celebration of the International Mother’s Day event held in Nairobi on May 9, 2026.
What you need to know:
- Nairobi women gathered for conversations exploring motherhood, wellness, identity and evolving family relationships in modern society.
- Mothers embraced healing, breathwork and meaningful conversations during a high tea networking experience celebrating womanhood and connection together.
A section of a high-profile community of women recently gathered in Nairobi for a networking event ahead of the close of this globally recognised month dedicated to celebrating mothers. The gathering, themed “A High Tea Afternoon”, created a warm and intimate setting to encourage meaningful conversations and shared experiences surrounding modern motherhood, identity, and the evolving journeys women navigate.
From tapping their feet, clapping hands, turning around and dancing to music filling the room, to taking moments for deep breathing exercises, the mothers fully immersed themselves in the day’s activities. Elegantly dressed for the occasion, they focused their attention on conversations they believed could only happen within the intimate atmosphere created by Mamma Mia.
While many people associate taking deep breaths with moments of frustration, international breathwork facilitator Jean Sangale explained that breathing affects every part of the body, including the organs, skin and brain. She described breathwork as an essential relaxation practice that women should intentionally prioritise.
“It is so interesting because when we deal with the breath, we are dealing with the world that we live in. Breathwork is something you need to be intentional about,” Jean told the women gathered in the room, as she guided them on how to consciously practise breathing exercises in their daily spaces.
“Put one hand on your tummy and the other on your chest, and then just imagine the ocean of air you are breathing in. Let it flow into your body and feel the displacement within your body. Allow that ocean of fresh air to create a little more space,” she instructed as soft, calming music played in the background.
A section of women attending the celebration of the International Mother’s Day event held in Nairobi on May 9, 2026.
When she later stood up to address the audience through the microphone, Pinky Ghelani, founder of What Women Want—a platform dedicated to creating safe and progressive spaces for women to connect, share and grow through meaningful conversations—reminded the audience of the famous Boyz II Men lyrics: “Mama, Mama, you know I love you, mama, mama you’re the queen of my heart.”
“Many of us are mothers, but we do not have enough celebrations around motherhood. One thing we love to do is bring women together to have conversations that change perceptions and help them connect, so that when you walk out of here, you are a different person from when you walked in,” said Pinky, who described conversations among women as particularly powerful.
She further described modern women as significantly different from previous generations of mothers because of their greater access to information and their willingness to learn from their children. “What is changing is that we are no longer afraid to learn from our children. Before, mothers used to believe there was nothing they could learn from their children, but now we are ready to listen and learn,” she said.
Founder of What Women Want Pinky Ghelani (left) moderates mother-daughter conversation with Jennifer Barasa (centre) and her daughter, Bidanya Barasa, during the celebration of International Mother’s Day in Nairobi on May 9, 2026.
Her sentiments were echoed by Top Image founder Jennifer Barasa, who participated in a mother-daughter conversation alongside her daughter, Bidanya Barasa. “From the outside, I feel I did my best as a mother because I tried to become my daughter’s friend from the time she was a little girl. However, there are moments when I feel perhaps I was too strict, especially when it came to dating,” Jennifer said.
She also used the Mother’s Day celebration to praise her daughter, describing her as a good and kind person. “I used to worry and ask myself: ‘When will my daughter get married?’ But now, as a woman of faith who prays often, something came to me and told me: ‘You do not have to worry about grandchildren as long as your daughter is happy and alive.’ That is the most important thing,” she said, encouraging mothers not to pressure their children.
The Mother’s Day celebration event was hosted in partnership with Johnnie Walker through its She Walks platform, which champions collective progress and encourages women to move forward together.
