Mitch Besser

In January 2000 Besser moved to Cape Town, South Africa as a member of the University of Cape Town’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and as a consultant for the clinical roll-out of Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services at Groote Schuur Hospital. While working at Groote Schuur, Besser realized that even when PMTCT medical treatment was available, it was often less than effective because of social, emotional and psychological barriers to success. To help break through those barriers, Besser identified South Africa’s HIV-positive mothers as a “valuable, under-utilized resource.” Besser enlisted new mothers living openly with HIV/AIDS who, as Mentor Mothers, began to connect with and educate their pregnant peers about the importance of PMTCT services, disclosing their status to loved ones, and living positive lives. The result of these efforts is mothers2mothers today.