These inner west mums are using people power to help others

Four years ago Anita Vitanova barely used Facebook and now she is using it to help tens of thousands of mums daily.

Anita Vitanova who created inner west mums an online page that has almost 20,000 members. Picture: Craig Wilson

Four years ago Anita Vitanova barely used Facebook and now she is using it to help tens of thousands of mums daily.

The Balmain resident set up Inner West Mums on Facebook in 2013 after the birth of her first child.

She had just moved to the country and knew no one — now four years later she has 18,000 members in the group and uses it to run a business.

“We arrived on a Saturday and on the Monday I kissed my husband goodbye to work and I just felt so alone,” she said.
“I knew my husband would have instant connections with work but I didn't have anything so I decided to make the group.

Inner West mums facebook group have banded together to help lots of stuggling families.

“The group snowballed from there — by the end of the first year we had 8000 members, then we had 12,000 the next year and now we have 18,000.”

Just over a year ago Mrs Vitanova launched the Inner West Mums website and now has four paid staff members on her team.

The team produce a website, business directory and job board aimed at helping local mums.
“We noticed a lot of mums in the group were running their own business and then we started a business directory on our website,” she said.

“This helps supports local families with their business but also works with them to secure some great deals for the members of the group.”

“We are also working to add in a section where mums can review the businesses on the website too.”

Anita Vitanova who created inner west mums expanded the group into a business in recent years.

But the group is much more than a business with many of the mums banding together to help each other through hard times.

“We have a lot of mums come to us going through domestic violence situations if they are planning to leave or are leaving,” she said.

“Our mums have banded together to furnish apartments or give money to help mums stay in a hostel if they need.

“One of our removalist business from our website I called him late one night and he helped to move a mum no questions asked.” Mrs Vitanova said.
Last year the group also set up a fundraiser to buy privacy screens for the NICU at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and sent 20 families in need $150 vouchers for Christmas.

“The power of the group is incredible,” she said.

“We want people to know we can help if you are going through hard times.”

For more information on the Inner West Mums visit the website at theinnerwestmums.com.au