IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Miracle Family in Uganda!
Written by: Mathius Lukwago, Kampala, Uganda We are all swept off our feet by unusual stories, which at times are perceived with anxiety and doubt. That was the situation when we learned of a lady who was said to have thirty eight biological children. Enthusiasm took us onto a journey to Kabimbiri village, Mukono district, where we could locate Nabatanzi Mariam with ease given her popularity. Our first visit was on Good Friday 30th March 2018. |
The environment at Nabatanzi’s home tells the uniqueness in her family, because unlike the usual quite homes, hers is a bee hive of activities with a few girls helping their mother to do the cooking as the rest of the children play both in her compound and the neighborhood yelling at the top of their voices. It is in this compound where Nabatanzi welcomed us and narrated her emotional story, from the time of suffering and being poisoned by a stepmother to the time of being married off at a tender age of twelve, to a forty year old abusive husband. A year barely passed before she conceived, giving birth to twins at the age of thirteen in 1993.She disclosed that much as her plan was to have six children, three births yielded eighteen children and how the doctor advised her against undertaking birth control measures due to her unusual condition described as “hyper ovulate”. That is how Mariam has gone on to produce six sets of twins, four sets of triplets and three sets of quadruples, and a single four months old last born. |
This unique experience has come at a cost, being neglected by the husband, high costs of living including health care especially for the five year old son diagnosed with a heart problem. All those burdens notwithstanding, Nabatanzi is a courageous and extremely hardworking lady who has endeavored to educate the children.
When we gave the family a package including soap, sugar, salt, bread, maize flour, cooking oil and balls, they could not hide their happiness.
When we gave the family a package including soap, sugar, salt, bread, maize flour, cooking oil and balls, they could not hide their happiness.
She is able to sew clothes now as we promised to give a sewing machine on which we delivered on 9th June 2018 along with some food items. The sewing machine will help her to increase the family income.
All in all, it is always a unique journey, presenting a rare opportunity to impact on the life of a strong family. She lives in a small plot of land which was given to her (Not permanent) by her grandfather to raise the children from, it has rooms for herself and the children as she struggles to take care of their needs |
Interestingly the husband left her at the 38th birth and he felt he could not handle, she is always happy playing with her kids and training them to work hard. All the 38 kids are very healthy apart from one Nsubuga Edwin 7 years who needs to undergo a surgery in and that is the biggest challenge she now has , the last one year she has been able to raise $1,388 out of $11,000.
Since where she lives is for her grandfather she is looking forward to secure a piece of land when she can put up a house and also be able to grow food for family. |
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