Seeing Double: Zainab’s Story

Zainab* had just given birth to twins when she was referred to us. On discharge from hospital, she became poorly and was facing the prospect of being readmitted. Feeling unwell, she struggled to care for her two newborns, and her 3-year-old son, Hamza*, couldn’t understand why he no longer had his mum’s undivided attention. Her husband continued to work from home to provide for his family, but the chaos in the house began interfering with his job. They had no family or friends in the area to turn to.

We paired Zainab with two Family Friends who visited periodically to help with household chores, play with the 3 year old, help mum feed the twins and reassure her when she felt exhausted and overwhelmed. Umbrella FloatOne of our Host Families who lived nearby offered support too and soon discovered that their child goes to the same nursery as Zainab’s son. The Host Family arranged play dates and helped take Hamza to and from nursery, giving him a fun outing to look forward to and rest away from the chaos at home. Two months later, Zainab is better able to manage caring for the twins on her own so the Family Friends have stopped visiting, but the play dates with Hamza and his new friend look like they will continue.

When a family hits a crisis and has no support, the situation can spiral out of control. Thanks to our volunteers, this one didn’t.

If you think you could help someone like Zainab, fill out a volunteer application form online today.

*Names in this story  have been changed for confidentiality.