Crisis Nurseries - April 2013 Update
My Mother Has AIDS
Ruth was awaiting the birth of her second child when her husband abruptly left her and their four-year-old daughter. He had learned that Ruth had AIDS. She was now forced to provide for herself, her daughter, and her soon-to-be born child.
Ruth was cautioned by her doctors not to breastfeed her newborn infant, or the baby would also contract AIDS. Sad and distraught, she began selling raw dry groundnuts (peanuts) on the side of the road in an attempt to provide for her family and save money for the infant formula she knew she would need for her newborn. She carefully put aside some of her profits, and she received some donations from her church friends. This made it possible for Ruth to buy infant formula, but that would only last a little while.
After she gave birth to Esther, she tried to stretch the small amount of formula she had but was forced to add extra water to the formula resulting in an unhealthy child who was not gaining weight and had constant diarrhea. Ruth had to take Esther to the health clinic every week. The cost of the clinic visits was cutting into what little money she had left for formula. It was when the donations from well-wishers began to dwindle and her savings were completely drained that Ruth went to the Zambian Department of Social Welfare for help.
They told her that they did not have the help she needed. However, they suggested a program called Milk and Medicine administered through Christian Alliance for Children in Zambia, a partner to Crisis Nurseries and The Outreach Foundation, that could assist her. She was admitted to the program, and today Esther is growing, thriving, and healthy. She can sit, crawl, stand and is learning to walk. She is also able to form simple words like tata and mama. Thanks to Anti-Retro Viral medicine, mothers who have AIDS and are relatively healthy can lead productive lives and raise their children. This decreases the number of children who are left as orphans after losing one or both parents to the widespread disease.
Ruth shared her heartfelt thanks in these words, “I thank God for this program. Please thank the people who make this formula and medicine available to mothers like me.” Your gifts literally save children's lives ... thank you!
Ebralie Mwizerwa, Projects Coordinator
The Outreach Foundation
*Names in this story have been changed to protect the child and the mother
Minimum Goal for 2014
$10,000 per month
Location
Zambia