Last week a horrendous fire destroyed a slum area in Jinja leaving more than 50 families homeless. People have been rallying together to help these people rebuild.
Photo credit: Kristina Semukete
One of our partners, Kathy, has been part of the recovery and rebuilding efforts. She told us that she’s been taking some mama kits with her each day for those who might need them. (Kathy is also a nurse) Today, she brought two kits with her. Thank goodness she did. One had to get used this afternoon.
One of the mamas, Sylvia, had been helping to move big poles and rolls of tin sheets. All of a sudden she said she did not feel well and told her daughter to tell Kathy she was going to go lie down at a friend’s house. She took off practically running to her friend’s home. The daughter decided that something was not right and told a couple of her mother’s friends that something was wrong. They grabbed the mama kit and went hurrying after her. By the time they arrived the baby had already made his appearance. They opened up the mama kit and helped take care of her and baby.
Kathy says one of the workers told her that one of the women had just given birth, but Kathy could not figure out who it could be. She did not even think of Sylvia because she had just seen her minutes before. Kathy rushed to the house and checked them out. Sylvia told her she did not want to miss out on those tin sheets to help rebuild her home, so she had waited as long as she could. She thought she could make it to her friend’s house to change and go to the hospital, but quickly realized she was not going to make it.
Mama and baby seem to be doing well. This was baby number 8, which may explain the quick delivery! Oh my! Thank goodness for her friends and that mama kit!
Kathy had the honor of naming the baby. She choose Isaiah Mwesigwa. Isaiah for Isaiah 61:3 talking about God bringing beauty from ashes. Mwesigwa means “faithful” and we serve a God who is faithful to his people. What a fitting name!
If you’d like to donate to help with rebuilding efforts for this community, you can donate here, through Obwaagazi Children’s Foundation.