In modern times, even the birth of one child is a project for which women specially prepare - they attend special exercises and lectures, eat special food and engage in activities that are beneficial for the child. What would you say if you had 38 children?
Former journalist BBC's Kassim Kayira has heard of Mariam and visited her family. Thanks to him, now you will too get to know her special story.
Life It was not easy for Mariam Nabatanzi – like A 13-year-old girl was sold by her parents to a 27-year-old man and married without her even knowing what was happening. A year later, she gave birth to her first child twins, then triplets, and quadruplets. The husband also had a lot children from previous marriages, for which she had to worry. It should also be violent and beat her at every opportunity. When she gave birth 23 children, she asked the doctors if they could perform a sterilization procedure. But this could not be done because it was too big the number of follicles. The operation would endanger her life.
This is how Mariam gave birth 44 children: six times twins, four times triplets, three times quadruplets and only two children were born without a 'copy'. She had six more children, but they died. She does not regret having so many offspring, but she is sad, because children live without a father. The husband often disappeared for more months, sometimes even years, and in the end he left them completely. He never had a role in raising the children, he only gave them names put on, sometimes even after phone.
She dedicated her life to the children, and she provided them with everything, what they need to live. Food is one of them the largest expenditure of this large family, as they spend daily 10 kilograms of corn or cornmeal, 7 kilograms of beans and 4 kilograms of sugar. All her children also get an education, because she wants them to make their dreams come true.
Since the family is very large, Miriam had to learn various skills to maintain it. She collects local herbs to sell, bakes cakes, lays bricks, weaves braids, organizes events and decorates premises and grooms brides. As she says, she will continue the fight because the children they must never be hungry. "I will never leave them, even though we struggle every day to survive,” said this amazing mother.
The main message that Mariam wants to convey to all parents is that they should never selling their children for marriage. Children suffer too much, with and they will never be able to come to terms with the loss of parental love.
