“While women with disabilities face similar levels of violence from partners to women without disabilities, they experience much higher levels of emotional, physical and sexual violence by other family members. Women with disabilities [are] much more likely to be insulted, made to feel bad about themselves, belittled, intimidated, and [are] five times more likely to sexual violence at the hands of a family member. They [are] also less likely to disclose and seek help following violence.”
IWDA (International Women's Development Agency), January 2017.
Sovann is a 13 year old teenager who lives in a poor family in the Battambang province. Her family faces hardship as her mother is very sick, and can’t afford treatment. Because of medical bills, they had to borrow money, and ended up losing their own land. Along with her 10 siblings, she had to move around a lot, ending up in a shack, where they all live together.
Sovann has a mental delay that prevented her from going to school. So, at a very young age, she accompanied her mother in her duties, selling rice cakes at the market. Sovann enjoys going to the market with her mother. She likes to watch the ballet of motos, and pedestrians.
Last year, as she turned 13, her mother needed her to work late. Sovann took a motodop to bring back the rest of the rice cakes. On the way home, he stopped. He abused and raped her, and threatened to kill her should she talk. She didn’t understand what had happened and kept quiet.
Months later, her mother realised her bleeding had stopped, and her belly was getting rounder. She took her to health clinic. They referred Sovann to us. Our midwife and social worker in Battambang visited her at home, in her village.
She was already in her second trimester. They counselled the mother, and referred her to a partner organization that helped them convict the perpetrator. He is currently in jail.
Sovann and her family are given ongoing support by MHO, making sure they receive food stipend, counselling, and everything our pregnancy program has to offer.
MHO is still the only pregnancy center offering support for single women in Cambodia.
In recent years, the number of teenage girls experiencing pregnancies has risen by 50%. Amongst rape victimes, almost 40% are between the age of 12-18. One of these girls was referred to us from a partner NGO, her name is Daevy.
Daevy is a 14 years old girl. One day, coming home from school, one of her neighbour assaulted her, and threatened to hurt or kill her if she said anything. She went home, and kept silent.
7 months later, she went a health clinic for a checkup and they discovered her pregnancy. When she first found out she was pregnant she was scared and confused. She felt pain as she didn't understand why this was happening to her. She didn't understand women's health, or bodies.
She was scared the baby wouldn't come out: “Babies are so big and I am so small”.
When we first met her she was frightened and shy. She depended on others, afraid to go anywhere alone. MHO provided counselling, support, medical care, and explained what was happening to her, and what would happen. She was not alone.
Daevy told us: “Mother’s Heart gave me a place to live while I was pregnant, they helped me with food, clothes, and medical appointments. They support me, when I am sad, I can call my counsellor. I feel secure and safe with them. It is fun to live in the women’s home with other moms. I feel happier.”
After our staff mediated with the family, she was able to go back home with her daughter. She has returned to school, studying in grade 11, and she studies extra classes after hours. She helps and spends time with her baby in the morning and at night and has kept up breastfeeding. Her mother helps watch the baby while she's at school.
She is a proud mother despite her young age, and will be able to finish school. She is no longer the shy girl we met but is confident, independent, and a wonderful mother. She said she feels supported by her family and MHO and feels secure. She loves to ride to school alone and not need someone constantly with her. In the future she wants to become a primary school teacher to help and support other girls in similar situations.
Young girls like Daevy benefit from our pregnancy support program, and this week, as we celebrate women, you can make sure they don’t experience an unintended pregnancy alone. Donate to Mother’s Heart and give them the chance to become empowered mothers.
During Women’s Week, why not celebrate the courage of women in our program?
2018 was the start of a new chapter of our story. With the support of 2 major donors, Ratanak and Beltway Church, we opened a new center in Battambang. The region is one of the poorest in Cambodia. Women like Chantrea* can now benefit from our Pregnancy Support Program.
Chantrea* was just 16 when she was referred to us by her village leader. She lived in a small rental room with her mother and step-father. They had no bathroom, and cooked outside of the room on a small stove. Her mother was a massage worker by day, and worked in beer garden at night. She came from a violent family, and after her long hours at work, she abused Chantrea* physically. She saw her as another mouth to feed, and lashed out on her very night.
Chantrea* was taken out of school at a very young age, and her mother made her work at the massage parlour with her. Chantrea* had no choice but to obey, but she missed her friends, and she felt sad every time she came back from work. She longed to study and her dream of becoming a nurse just slipped away from her. One day, her mother told her: "I found a husband for you". He was 30 yers older than her, Chantrea* refused. She left the parlour, and started selling goods at the market. The hours were long, from 7am until 9pm everyday. But she was eager to make an honest living.
Coming home from the market one night, she was assaulted, and a few months later realised she was pregnant. The abuse from her mother got worse. She insulted her everyday. The beatings didn't stop. Every night, Chantrea* cried herself to sleep. She was alone, isolated, shunned from her community. One evening, her mother kicked her out of the house, but not before telling her about her plans to sell the baby once it was born.
Chantrea* had nowhere to go. Fortunately, her neighbour took her in, and reported the abuse to the village leader. He called us, and our social workers responded quickly. Social workers went to visit her to offer encouragement and let her know she was not alone. We accepted her into our program where she received on going emotional support, food and medical assistance.
She has now safely delivered a baby girl who is healthy and well. We’ve seen many changes in her since she’s been in our program. She is doing much better emotionally and physically. She’s a wonderful mom, taking active care of her child. Following our midwife’s instructions well, she is breastfeeding her baby who is growing quickly. This is what she has to say:
"I love my child very much. She is very lovely and pretty. I deeply thank MHO staff who helped me to have a safe delivery and have offered many kinds of support. Without MHO and the local authorities my child and I would be dead or trafficked because my mother did not allow me to live with her and was forcing me to sell my child.”
We are proud to have given her support when she had nowhere else to turn to. We are amazed at her resilience, and none of it would be possible without our many supporters, donors, sponsors, without you, none of it would be possible. Your generosity has allowed Chantrea* to become a loving mother, you have kept her baby from being sold, you have a kept a little girl from being separated from her mother.
The baby baskets you gift make sure mother and child are healthy and strong, and are given all the necessary items, along with regular midwife's visits. We currently have 20 women in our program in Battambang. Our staff has been in contact with local NGOs, and village chiefs, and the 20 spaces in our pregnancy support program have been filled. 40% of women in the program are underaged, and need to be closely monitored. Thanks to our midwife, social worker, program manager and tuktuk driver, all of them have been given the proper medical care. Your generosity allowed them to remain safe from trafficking, and made sure their babies remained in a loving family.
Our operations in Phnom Penh are still at full capacity with 90 women currently benefiting from our support program. 93 babies were born last year under our care. They have been provided with life-saving baby baskets, community mediation, support services and medical care during their pregnancy. In Phnom Penh, two counsellors joined our team, and protocols were put in place to diagnose post-partum depression better. Our women come from a vulnerable background: violent partners, trafficking, rape victims, incest survivors, and they need to be closely monitored to make sure they can bond with their babies.
To donate follow these links:
http://bit.ly/2qAjlM8 (tax-deductible donation in the UK and the US)
http://bit.ly/2QiY6N1 (tax-deductible donation in Australia)
Wing account: 012602384 (Cambodia)
Thank you.
*Names have been changed to keep our beneficiaries' anonymity
