Content Warning: Infant loss
The Covid-19 pandemic ushered in many unexpected challenges for people worldwide, including 18-year-old Raina* living in Madagascar, an island country off the southeast coast of Africa. Though Raina left home looking for a better life, she couldn’t have predicted the challenges that awaited her.
When Raina was a child, her father died, leaving behind her and her mother. Shortly after his death, her mum remarried and had two more children with her new husband, with whom Raina had a tense relationship. Eventually, it reached a breaking point forcing Raina to leave home and live on the streets of Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar. It has a population of around 20 million, 85% of whom live on less than two dollars per day.
During this time, Raina started a relationship with 18-year-old Jean*. He had been homeless in Antananarivo for four years and worked on a casual basis as a parking guard with dreams of becoming a driver. The young couple tried to build a life together, but they realised that living on the street is an ever-present challenge and often did not have enough to eat.
The challenge intensified when the Covid-19 pandemic began, and Raina learned she was pregnant. In an attempt to reduce the spread of the virus, the Government placed the couple, and 700 others, in an emergency centre for the homeless. The centre was crammed, loud, unsanitary, and even risky – proving to be only marginally better than life on the street, and Raina and Jean were worried about what might happen if they gave birth there.
Thankfully at five months pregnant, Raina was allocated a social worker from FAMadagascar, our partner and a Non-Governmental Organisation that provides family strengthening services and develops foster care programmes. FAM partnered with the Malagasy Government to offer support to pregnant women in the centre, ensuring they received food, clothing, medical care and were prepared to give birth and take care of their newborn. Building a robust support network around expectant mothers prevents babies from being abandoned or removed from their mothers.
“I find it hard to think of anything more tragic and unjust in this world than a child being separated from a birth family due to poverty. Many of our families seriously considered abandoning their children to an orphanage at some point. It is a privilege to be involved in preventing this in Madagascar,” says Cath, co-founder of FAM.
With support from the Martin James Foundation, FAM has been able to relocate 23 women, including Raina, out of the centre and into safe accommodation close to the maternity hospital, in addition to funding a social worker who supported the women. This crucial support has prevented children from being separated from their families and entering orphanages.
“These families have been locked out of communities, housing, employment and income generation. Our project is about giving them the right keys to escape a life on the streets and access healthy lives and futures within Malagasy society. Small, short, focused investment with lasting impact for generations,” says Lanto, FAM’s National Director.
Settled into her new accommodation, Raina went into premature labour at seven months pregnant, and doctors delivered their baby through an emergency caesarean section. Tragically, their newborn baby died in the hospital at just five days old. FAM social workers journeyed with the young couple and offered psychosocial support as they grieved during unfathomable and unexpected loss. “Our support doesn’t just provide for immediate emergency physical needs but restores hope, and in some cases gives hope for the first time,” says Mamy, FAM Project Manager and Social Worker.
As the couple began the healing process, FAM offered further support such as helping them obtain identity papers, which are vital for continuing education and securing work in Madagascar. Already this is opening up new opportunities. Jean has enrolled in and graduated from driving school and is now confidently looking for a job. Raina dreams of becoming a seamstress and is selling baked goods to provide an income in the meantime. Despite the loss and trauma, the support provided to Raina and Jean means they are hopeful for what the future might hold, and they have recently married. Raina is one of the many young women from the homeless shelter that FAM has supported. FAM is committed to family strengthening, ensuring that children are not separated from their family and are prevented from entering orphanages.
“MJF is proud to collaborate with organisations such as FAMadagascar who provide early support to expectant mothers so that they can prepare for the arrival of their baby and prevent them from being unnecessarily separated. FAM’s work enabled this family to remain together for those precious few days with their child. The care and sustainable interventions that continued throughout a traumatic time has enabled the couple to reintegrate into the community and rebuild their lives.” Louise, MJF International Practice Development Officer.
*Names changed to protect the identity.
