Last week, Amecet received a phonecall from the national Child help phone line, from Kampala. They talked about this family in Serere, with the triplets. If we could see how the situation was and if we could help, if needed.
Yesterday, Simon, Anneke (Dutch volunteer) and me went to Serere. We first went to the L.C. 5, then the Probation Officer, the Subcounty chief, the Parish chief and the Health care Community Worker.
We found the family, the mother and the 8 children are currently living in the home of the parents of the husband (who is in prison).
We sat down and the baby's were brought. On the picture above, you can see the mother with one of the triplets, while Anneke and me are carrying the other two. The children were born at home, and they look very well, they are 3 weeks old. They are healthy looking, fed well, the mother gives breast feeding with a supplement of cows milk. But she alternate, all three baby's in the sharing of the breast milk and the cow milk. I was impressed with the help of the family around and also the help of the community. People came to bring some clothes or soap. The family is helping with the caring for the three little one's. She moved into the home of her parents in law, so she can get help with all her children. She is given a hut and there is someone sleeping there with her, to help at night.
The three baby's are all three in a good condition and the mother promised me that she was going for immunization the next day. When we went to visit this family, I had in my mind a previous situation, also a triplet, born in the village. That time, there were two of the three baby's in a bad condition and we ended up with taking two baby's into Amecet. The mother kept one baby, who she kept breastfeeding and after a while the other two baby's were brought back to her. They are doing very well now. But in this situation it was not needed. The mother was caring very well for the baby's, with the support of the family and the community. Simon talked with them and we checked where they slept and their bedding's etc.
This are the other 5 children, the oldest two are twins, they are 4 years old, than an other set of twins, 3 years old. A little boy of 1,5 years old and after that the triplets. The children were all looking healthy and well fed. They don't have many clothes, but overall, the situation was not bad at all.
We are assessing the situation and asked them what their needs are. We made a list and we will go back soon, with some of the things they are lacking. There is no need to bring any of the children into Amecet. The best place for children in their own family, especially when they are loved and cared for. We can help the family do that a bit better with providing some of their needs. We will visit them from time to time to see how they are doing.
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