FAMILY Fountain of Hope spokesperson Dr Getrude Tshuma, left, with Monde Himasiku.
While some cry to God to bless them with children, others abuse them by aborting or dumping them. In an effort to reduce termination of unwanted pregnancies, especially by distressed young girls, Family Fountain of Hope has embarked on a sensitisation programme that helps save babies. MUNIDE NYIRENDA now reports.
IT IS considered a joyous moment for a mother when she gives birth to a child but this turns out to be a sorrowful moment to some, who feel they are not ready to welcome the baby as part of their lives.
A month hardly passes without hearing disturbing news of newly born babies being dumped in either a near-by bush or pit latrine because they are unwanted.
High levels of illegal abortions have also been of concern. This has prompted a non-profit-making organisation, Family Fountain of Hope, to embark on sensitisation programmes and provide other services that offer alternatives to abortion in order to save babies.
?If you are pregnant and your first thought is no not me oh, please not me! You are scared, resentful, angry, you feel sick and your nerves are like hot wires, your whole world is changing and you do not want to face it, who will listen and really understand how scared and sick you are?
?We will,? says Family Fountain of Hope spokesperson Getrude Tshuma.
?We are all alive because somebody gave life to us. If you and I were aborted, we would not know its value. We are here because somebody loved and cared for us,? Dr Tshuma said.
She says her organisation is helping to sensitise, inform and educate people about the importance of life and dangers of abortion.
The organisation has so far counselled 30 women who almost aborted their unwanted pregnancies for various reasons.
The counselling sessions have also helped save the lives of 15 babies from being killed by their distressed mothers.
?Who knows what the future holds for them? Maybe some of these will be our future president, doctors, and teachers among other important people in society. There is no such a thing like unwanted pregnancy, if you do not want to have a child, stop having sex to protect yourself from having unwanted pregnancy,? Dr Tshuma said in an interview.
Services such as counselling sessions with parents, boyfriends and girlsfriends, medical advice, how someone can continue with studies or work and help links for accommodation are provided by the organisation.
It also equips young mothers with knowledge and skills on how to raise financial resources, helps with fostering healthy relationships, and provides maternity clothes and baby things.
Referrals for adoption among other services are also provided.
A volunteer for the organisation, Monde Himasiku, stressed the need for young girls to seek help from their centre as abortion is not the best solution.
Ms Himasiku said she is aware of challenges young girls and women face when they are impregnated such as rejection by parents and sexual partners, lack of financial support and how to continue with education.
All these challenges outlined above are taken care of by the centre once a young woman or girl seeks help.
Those who have been to the centre go back to their homes smiling once again, said Ms Himasiku.
And in order to boost self-esteem for women who think abortion is the only way out, the organisation recently organised a life walk aimed at sensitising people on the value of life.
The organisation believes a march for life is vital because many people take life for granted. The walk attracted people of all ages with a three-year-old being the youngest.
Ms Himasiku said it is so disheartening to hear people say they have unwanted pregnancies because as far she is concerned, there is no such a thing as every life is important.
?Life begins at conception. There is need to protect it. If you want to dump a baby, do it in an open place so that others can easily find it,? she advises.
Ms Himasiku called on government to look at the issue of unwanted pregnancies holistically.
Zambian law does not support abortion but it is allowed under certain medical conditions.
Ms Himasiku said the centre has received overwhelming response from members of the public, who have benefited from its services and some have pledged to support it financially.
The organisation states that there are severe and endless consequences when women abort their children such as guilt, fear, anxiety, depression or thoughts of suicide and damage to maternal instinct and bonding with any other children they have.
Others are alcohol and drug abuse, eating disorders, feeling unworthy or incapable of motherhood, obsession with the would-be birth date and re-experiencing the abortion.
Officiating at the march for life event, Independent Churches Association of Zambia Bishop David Masupa? commended Family Fountain of Hope for coming up with the initiative held under the theme ?Celebrating Life?.
?This is a rare day because it is set aside to once again raise the voice against the evils of abortion. The evil act has continued to rob our nation of helpless forming babies who are judged for the errors they never took part in committing,? he said.
Bishop Masupa said it is regrettable that women, both young and old, under the pretext of being ?unprepared? with the help of trained and untrained health workers, take up the roles of judge and executioner in abruptly ending the lives of innocent children.
He said it is unfortunate that in the secret place of its own mother, a child is killed under the cover of human rights.
?Palms 139:13 says, ?For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother?s womb.? Make no mistake. Man has no authority to take away life,? Bishop Masupa said.
He called on the technical committee drafting the constitution to ensure that Articles 28 (1) retain that a person has the right to life, which begins at conception, and 28 (2) should not provide that this right should be violated through any other law.
Bishop Masupa called on all not to relent in upholding principles and values that will ensure security for the generations yet to be born.
Family Fountain of Hope is helping to ensure this security for the unborn because ?life is precious, we need to value it?.
Source: http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=15064
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