Mothering after Loss: Sharifah's Story

Sharifah and her eight siblings were raised by a single mom. Her mother provided for their school fees, and while in lower secondary school (comparable to grades 8-11), Sharifah began dating one of her classmates. Though it's difficult for single mothers to provide for so many children, the future was looking bright for young Sharifah.

However, in 2018 the unthinkable happened--Sharifah's mother passed away. Sharifah and her siblings were devastated. They had no way to provide for themselves, and Sharifah could not continue her education. Though her family and boyfriend were a comfort and a strength to her during this time, losing her mom at such a young age left Sharifah feeling paralyzed and directionless. 

Sharifah's uncle became the legal guardian of Sharifah and her other siblings. She worked in his retail shop but was never paid, because her uncle saw her work as a duty owed to the family. She was stuck, unable to support herself. Through it all, her boyfriend was a constant support for Sharifah.

Flash forward, and Sharifah and her husband had moved in together and found out she was pregnant. Though excited, Sharifah felt the lack of her own mother. She wanted to run to her mother's arms as she prepared to become a new mom herself--but she couldn't. For extra support, she joined the Jinja Pregnancy Care Center's teen mom program. While there, she didn't just learn about childbirth and parenting--she learned about God who comforts her and provides for her. Finding God changed everything. 

In 2022, she gave birth to Daniel Mark. During the job hunt to support her growing family, she was introduced to Heal Ministries, and she enrolled in our sewing program. During our ten month program, she learned sewing and business skills. She also had daily nutritious meals, and Daniel Mark was taken care of while she worked. Through our program, Sharifah went from making no money to making a stable, daily income. This is a HUGE deal for her and her family. While her husband goes to work as a security guard, Sharifah is able to stay home and care for her child and bring in income with her sewing business. 

Though she still deeply misses her mom, Sharifah is able to be a wonderful mother and an excellent wife because of our programs and the support she receives from the community around her. We are so proud of her resilience and the blessing that she is to her family!