What is NENEN?... AND An Invitation

Written By Jovia L. Godfrey

Estimated Reading Time: 5 mins

At least once a week I am asked “What is Nenen?” Admittedly, I’m often conflicted regarding how to respond. While I can answer this question in three distinct ways, I really do feel that all three responses are equally relevant and their comprehension necessary in order to grasp what it is that we at NENEN seek to convey. That being said, here is all you need to know about NENEN.

The Translation

Nenen is the affectionate term for "Godmother" in Haitian Creole. Similar to how TiTi and Auntie are utilized to affectionately say “Aunt” in English, Nenen is the term we use to convey a deep love for one’s godmother in lieu of “Maren” (in Haitian Creole) or “Marraine” (in French). 

The Role

Highly revered in Haitian culture, a Nenen carries the momentous honor of being a maternal benefactor. Known to lavish her filleule or filleul (goddaughter and godson, respectively) with gifts and money, the Nenen also curates a fuller life for her godchild(ren) through rich experiences. She ensures that (beyond the basic necessities of life, furnished by one's parents) the beneficiary receives the supplemental support needed to thrive in society. Nenens are known to plan anything from baby showers and birthday parties to bridal and baby showers when their godson or daughter begins their own family. During holiday seasons, Nenens are sometimes known to bring the largest and most costly gifts.

Needless to say, being named “Nenen” isn’t a light matter. The title is both costly and coveted… the bearer simultaneously knowing the burden of the task and receiving it with overwhelming joy and honor. (I’ve known women to verbally fight it out for the title or to even try and outdo one another by taking extra care of a pregnant friend - all in hopes of being selected and named “Nenen” upon the baby’s arrival. It’s a thing.)

So what are we at NENEN trying to convey by using this loaded term?

The Work

At NENEN, our aim is to cultivate and invite you into the atmosphere of trust, dependability, and support due to mothers, the little ones entrusted to them, and their community at large. If that sounds really broad, then good. Since life, as we live it, doesn’t simply pause to allow time and space for moms to adjust to its new complexities, that postpartum shift is actually experienced by everyone with whom she comes in contact.

In many countries, postpartum support isn't something to be coveted, planned, or its costs weighed and measured. Postpartum support is simply embedded… organically woven through cultural norms. Urban and rural communities, alike, shoulder the load of providing food, healing treatments, a listening ear, or even haircare (among other things) to the new matriarch… and the support may continue for decades as the mother’s duties increase. 

Then, without artificial prompting, the once “newbie” naturally assumes the role of a maternal mentor… nurturing the next generation of mothers. This type of systemic mentorship manifests itself in various ways. The cooking of aromatic, made-from-scratch, ethnic dishes that promote healthy lactation, physical fortitude, and hormonal balance… the administering of herbal baths and massages that tighten the muscles and expel excess fluids… the real-time bequeathing of centuries-old wisdom that empowers the new mother with confidence and grit… 

Women who live within these contexts tend to experience postpartum support in a way that the majority of us in the U.S. don't attain so easily. Rather, if even aware of our needs, we often seek to piecemeal these sorts of experiences, regarding and paying for them as luxury expenses.

Recognizing that the above approach to postpartum care might not fit the typical American way of life, what if we (appropriate to our context) treated postpartum recovery as support for the whole woman? What if postpartum support was comprehensively approached and backed by our families, healthcare providers, employers, and social communities alike? If you have ever asked yourself questions like these (even if for the first time today), what if the answer is NENEN?

 NENEN exists to

  1. Connect families to an integrated community of holistic help and support. Whether families connect with us through the Chez NENEN Podcast, by attending NENEN-backed events, by reading the NENEN blog, or by subscribing to our Substack we are preparing a buffet of knowledge and postpartum supports for the whole (pun intended) family. 

  2. Collaborate with service and care providers to offer comprehensive help to new moms and their families through sponsorship opportunities, guest appearances on the Chez NENEN Podcast, and opportunities to be included in a dynamic directory (coming soon).

  3. Empower employers to provide appropriate postpartum support for their employees that boosts talent retention, curbs pregnancy discrimination, and bolsters human resources in a way that increases human capital through Nenefits and sponsorship opportunities.

Needless to say, NENEN is a HUGE undertaking. So much so that we approach it with what we call Mission-Driven Momentum and we consider it an honor and a privilege to foster this radical approach to the comprehensive postpartum recovery movement.

Are you intrigued? We sure hope so, because we are inviting you to build this momentum with us! 

Here are three ways by which you can partner with NENEN:

Want to talk about more ways to make a change? Email NENEN at jovia@mynenen.com.

Jovia L. Godfrey

As Founder and CEO of NENEN, Jovia has a deep desire to close the care gap for career-driven moms in the United States. American-born and of Haitian parentage, she pulls from her experiences of being second-generation, fusing the knowledge of her cultural postpartum support traditions with her life as a busy, working mom in the US.

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Five Ways to Navigate Boston to Your Postpartum Recovery Advantage