From creativity to community: The story behind ‘Made by Mothers’
For JENNY ZAMMIT, creativity has always been a lifeline - and now it’s the driving force behind Made by Mothers, a social enterprise offering flexible, dignified work for mums. In this interview, Jenny shares her journey from struggling with traditional work to building a project that empowers mothers while creating beautiful, meaningful jewellery.
Who is Jenny Zammit?
I’m Jenny, mum to Gemma and Louie. I’ve always been a creative person and loved to work, but the 9am–5pm world never suited me. I got both bored and burnt out easily. I need both creativity and flexibility in order to thrive. For years I thought that made me lazy or incompetent, but now I’m realising it’s probably more of a neurodivergence (as I write this I’m actually in the process of getting diagnosed).
School was always a struggle, I got by but I found it incredibly difficult to pay attention and to study. Creativity was my lifeline from a young age. I’m very solution-oriented - I don’t just accept things the way they are, I question them and think outside the box.
How was creativity your lifeline?
I always dreamed of having my own business and I have two creative ventures under my belt. Rogue - which I founded in my twenties. I had a workshop and used to revamp and upcycle old furniture. And more recently Ole Macrame, where I sell my handmade creations through my website.
Both were full of passion and creativity, but they were more monetised hobbies than businesses. They lacked a real plan. I made a lot of mistakes from a business perspective. I was learning whilst doing. Now I am older, wiser, more patient, and I finally have structure. A good side effect of aging.
“Made by Mothers is my contribution to rebuilding that missing village, one small solution among many that I hope will come.”
AI has also been a surprising ally - not just for planning, but also for validation when I didn’t have anyone to go to with my ideas. It helped me put a lot of my self-doubt to rest. I’m a big believer in using AI for good. It’s a great tool, especially for people like mothers who only have short windows of time to get work done.
How was Made by Mothers born?
Let me take you way back. A strong memory I carry is from St Joseph’s School in Sliema. A teacher once told us that men and women weren’t equal in the past, we couldn’t vote, etc. Upon seeing our shocked faces, she backtracked and reassured us that now everything was equal, there was nothing to worry about. I believed her… until I became a mother.
Then I saw firsthand how unequal things still are, especially when you don’t have a support system around you. Before you can even earn 1c, you need to take care of a whole other human being and a house. More than a full-time job in itself. There’s a lot of invisible and unpaid labour that goes into motherhood.
It’s on a level that cannot be understood unless you’re actually doing it. I don’t blame men for not really getting it. I don’t even get it myself sometimes. I expect myself to knock 15 things off my to-do list in a day, and then I spend the whole day wiping up messes, helping my children regulate their emotions, and begging them to wash or start their homework. It’s never-ending.
Who inspired you in your journey as a mother?
I think a lot about my grandmother. She was a huge influence in my life and an incredibly creative woman. She was always sewing, knitting, crocheting and cooking. I grew up admiring her. She had seven children, which amazed me, and when I became a mother myself, I wondered how she managed.
Now I realise she had something most mothers don’t today: a whole village of family, neighbours, and friends to help. And open spaces where kids could play, roads that still held space for children and bicycles. Now so many mothers are raising kids in micro-families, often completely alone.
“We need to make sure there are flexible, home-based jobs for mothers. So single mothers can supplement their income and make ends meet. So married mothers can maintain their independence. So new mothers can spend more time at home with their precious newborns.”
What challenges do mothers face today that you hope to address?
That contrast really hit me. Society is currently putting pressure on women to “have more kids”, but before we ask that, we need to actually support mothers. The solutions from the policymakers always seem to be childcare. But children need their parents. I don’t see childcare as a proactive or sustainable solution.
To me, a solution that makes sense looks more like redesigning work for mothers. Making sure that mothers have options. Flexible, dignified, home-based work. Designed with the needs of mothers and children at heart.
“To me, a solution that makes sense looks more like redesigning work for mothers. Making sure that mothers have options. Flexible, dignified, home-based work. Designed with the needs of mothers and children at heart.”
If a mother has the right support systems in place and wants to become a CEO, I think that’s amazing. But what about the women who don’t have friends and family to help and can’t afford a babysitter? What about the women who are doing this alone?
Childcare is convenient but children, especially in the first years of life, need a constant and attuned person to attach to. This can be the father or the grandmother, sure, but it needs to be someone close. This is not me saying this. This is coming from professionals who have done tons of research - Erica Komisar, Gabor Maté.
We need to make sure there are flexible, home-based jobs for mothers. So single mothers can supplement their income and make ends meet (life is so expensive, especially if you are renting). So married mothers can maintain their independence. So new mothers can spend more time at home with their precious newborns. This is the “why” behind Made by Mothers.
How does Made by Mothers work in practice?
Made by Mothers is my contribution to rebuilding that missing village, one small solution among many that I hope will come.
With Made by Mothers, the idea is simple but powerful. We provide mothers with high-quality materials and clear instructions, and they create the bracelets from home in their own time. It’s flexible, creative work they can fit around family life.
Each piece then goes through quality control, is packaged beautifully, and sold either online or through partners. For every bracelet sold, €5 goes directly into the hands of the mother who made it - money she can count on, paid fairly for her time and skill.
Crafting has always been a way for mothers to earn an income from home. It faded for a while but it’s making a comeback, and I think that’s powerful. It’s simple, flexible, dignified and it works for mothers, as long as the public values and supports it.
It’s a social enterprise - a business that puts purpose before profit and a business that is committed to providing its customers with a value-packed product.
I wanted the jewellery itself to stand on its own - not something people buy just to support the cause. The pieces are waterproof, hypoallergenic, tarnish-proof, and handmade. On par with the best on the market, but they’re also handmade and impactful.
From the very beginning, the Women for Women Foundation Malta supported the idea. Our very first batch of bracelets is available exclusively through them, and we officially launch mid-October.
What does this mean for mothers and for society as a whole?
At the end of the day, this isn’t just about jewellery. It’s about giving mothers choices, dignity, and independence. Because when mothers are supported, the ripple effect reaches children, families, and even future generations.
I don’t think we can be proud of our society before we fully recognise the importance of the work mothers are doing. The future is literally in their hands and their struggle impacts us all. This is not a “her” problem, it’s a societal issue and one that needs to be tackled mindfully and urgently.
How to join
Any mothers who are interested in joining the project can register their interest through our online form. Of course, I’d love to onboard and support as many mothers as possible. But the reality is, we can only grow at the pace that sales allow. Before we bring on new mothers, we need to make sure the ones already working with us are sustained.
That’s why every single purchase matters so much. Each bracelet doesn’t just provide income to the mother who made it, it also helps us create space to welcome more mothers into the project.
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