Honoring the Role of Mothers
By Mathew Mwetela and Tara Newton, Communications Team, BID Initiative
May 8, 2015
Posted in General
Photo: PATH/Mathew Mwetela. Ressen Mumba at her shop in Mutendere community.
When we think about Mother’s Day globally, you might think of flowers or a nice gift to show how you appreciate your mother. However, in some countries, like our demonstration country, Zambia, it is often being thankful for healthy children and the opportunity to spend time with family.
We recently caught up with Ressen Mumba, a 38-year old mother of four living in the Mutendere community of Lusaka, Zambia. She is a market trader in second hand clothes at Mutendere’s local market. Ressen described the role of mothers and women in her community,
“Being a woman in my community means responsibility, care and love. It’s my job to be responsible for my family and make sure my children are healthy. It is also my role to keep my family and children united at all times. Us woman are the pillars of the family.”
She continued to discuss some of the challenges she faces as a mother and woman,
“The biggest challenge we face is helping provide for our families. I’m lucky that my husband has a job but it’s not the case for most women in this market. Some of them are single handedly taking care of their entire family, including extended family.”
When mothers like Ressen have to take time away from work to care for a sick child, it can be detrimental their family’s livelihood. Even trips to the clinic for routine immunizations can be a lengthy process. It is our hope that with improved tools and processes through the BID Initiative, Ressen and other mothers will experience shorter wait times and increased access to immunization services to ensure her family can remain as healthy as possible, allowing her to continue providing for her family.
At PATH and the BID Initiative, we know mothers and women hold the key to healthier families and communities. This Mother’s Day, take a moment to honor mothers who go above and beyond their role to ensure their children have a safe and healthy life.