Stories

The opportunities available today for young women in the US and Europe vastly outnumber those available to their grandmothers and perhaps even to their mothers. While racing towards the future we are acutely aware of persistent inequalities and many of us actively work to address them. Today is a day to celebrate the fruits our journey thus far, the momentum we continue to build, and the sisterhood between us.

As we do this, let us also remember women who work hard with very little, striving for the survival and education of their children. Let us remember that women continue to lose their lives daily in pursuit of the basic joy of motherhood. And, let us stand with them as well. Support AMHI

Six year old Mercy came by our office last week just to say hello. Mercy’s mother died moments after her birth and Joyful Motherhood nurses visited her and her grandmother for the first two years of her life. Nurses provided formula, porridge, health education, and lots of encouragement. We are thrilled to see Mercy beautiful and thriving. This is what it is all about!

Miracle was born prematurely. Her mother suffered eclamptic seizures, and though she survived, she had a long slow recover and remained permanently impaired. Miracle was enrolled in March 2018 (see the full story and earlier picture) and with support from our nurses and the loving care of her family, she has thrived.

Joyful Motherhood’s nurses have been following this beautiful mother and her triplets since their birth. She has three other children and thanks to the support of JM her babies are thriving.

Regina was the fourth child in her family. Everything went well with the pregnancy and the delivery. Mother and baby left the hospital 24hours after delivery. Eight days later Regina’s mother, Alefa, started complaining of chest pain and she was taken to the hospital. Before clinicians had settled on a diagnosis, Alefa’s condition deteriorated and she died. Regina is now being raised by her paternal grandmother, who is receiving assistance from Joyful Motherhood.

Look at this gorgeous little man. Trust was orphaned just after birth and is being raised by both his maternal and paternal grandmothers. He is clearly thriving with their love and the continued support of Joyful Motherhood. Trust is now 17 months old.

This is Andrew on his grandfather’s back. Andrew was born in April 2018, his mother delivered him by c-section. Following the surgery, Andrew’s mother developed a severe infection which led to the surgical removal of her uterus in a desperate attempt to save her life. Tragically, the infection continued to rage and ultimately claimed her life. Andrew’s grandparents immediately took over his care, but without enough money to purchase formula or adequate knowledge on how to sustain a newborn without breast milk, Andrew began to deteriorate. After several weeks Andrew’s family was directed to Joyful Motherhood. By that time, Andrew was severely wasted and incredibly fragile. In this picture, Andrew is 14months old, he is still small for his age but with the dedication and love of his family and support from JM, he continues to grow and improve.