Jean, Jazira, and Yankho were born into a tough situation. Their young mother was struggling to provide for all three newborns at once alongside their older brother and they were all at risk of malnutrition. She was supported in getting help from the Social Welfare Officer, who referred two of the three babies to Open Arms.
Jean and Jazira, pictured above, were welcomed into Mangochi infant home for nutritional support and care. But when we learned about the family situation the team were quick to try and get the triplets and family back together and support their mother in caring for all of her children.
We assessed their home situation to understand the support available within the community and their challenges and worked with Social Welfare to show how all the children could be raised successfully at home.
From speaking with the family we created a special care package that included:
You can see the day the two girls returned to their mother and brothers here. We worked closely with their mother to make sure she felt confident in their care and she understood how we would support her.
It was vital that she felt supported and able to bond with her babies and also so the siblings could bond together. We provided guidance on how to use the supplies and encouraged her to stay in regular contact.
For a successful partnership, our team advised that it is important to be clear on our expectations of the family too, such as how important it is to get the babies weighed and attend medical appointments. By working together with families in this way means our support makes a bigger difference as it is driven and owned by the family. We find this has a positive ripple effect within the extended family and community too as best practices are shared.
Supporting the attachment of mother and child or the triplets in this case is an important part of our work as this helps not only their physical development but also their social development as they grow. By keeping the family together, we ensure they feel cared for and loved, which promotes their sense of self, safety and security.
The wellbeing of the triplets is closely connected to their family’s overall situation and that’s why the support we provided goes beyond just the babies’ initial needs like milk and food. This is not about a one off hand out. Our goal is to create a secure and loving environment where Jean, Jazira, and Yankho can all thrive along with their older brother as they grow. As they regain their health, we will move our support to focus on their future. It is our goal that within three years the whole family will be completely self sufficient and independently earning the income needed to sustain themselves.
This in turn will protect their mother as she will be able to stand on her own two feet and provide for her family. It will also means that the children will be more likely to go to school and succeed through their development as they grow up.
In the short time they have been at home we have seen a remarkable transformation not only in their mother and he ability to cope but in the bonds they share as a family. You can see the family here with their grandmother and neighbour who offer hands on support with childcare. The babies are growing well and our team are delighted with their progress.
We need your support to reach more families in need of help. This short term intervention is simple. It can transform the life of not only a child at risk but set the whole family unit up for a brighter future together. If you can support today please click here.
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