Supporting Women through Crisis Pregnancy

Work at Mother’s Heart is fast paced and always moving forward.  During the morning, staff are constantly in and out of the office as they take clients to medical appointments and job interviews, visit them in their homes, or journey to the province for an extended family assessment.  Afternoons present more of a calm when staff sit at their desks catching up on paper work, occasionally chatting back and forth.  This cohesive routine allows staff to do their jobs well.  Over the past 3 months, MH social workers have counselled in 39 counselling sessions with clients in our counselling program, 15 new clients were accepted into our Pregnancy Support program, and 17 babies were born (amongst them a set of healthy twins).  During those three months, stall also made over twenty trips to the province to meet with new clients, conduct family assessments, reintegrate clients back to the province, and follow up with provincial care.  

Any city-dwelling Cambodian is never far from the province of their childhood. This is the home of their extended family and an older rhythm of life. Mother’ s Heart’s Social workers are currently putting a lot of effort into provincial care; reintegrating clients into the support of their families and coordinating clinic and hospital services as well as partnering with regional NGOs, so that the women and babies continue to receive quality health care while being amidst the network of their families and community. 

Face it… sometimes caring for a newborn baby can get on top of you. Rajana was under a lot of stress with bad and broken relationships, she’d got to the point of wishing her baby child dead. Social workers at Mother’s Heart spent long hours in counselling with her in Phnom Penh, helping her to regain emotional stability. While Rajana was on maternity leave, Mother’s Heart staff took her to her province so that she could spend time with her mother. The social workers saw in every visit that she was improving mentally and emotionally. She has gradually become more and more independent. Back in Phnom Penh, Rajana is completing the last of her training and starting work.

To be seen, truly seen in the midst of her situation and helped by Mother’s Heart staff is something for which Rajana is very grateful.  She has become an empowered young mother.

The provinces are the future for another mother, Goriyan. Abandoned by her boyfriend, she was alone in Phnom Penh without help and losing hope. In Mother’s Heart she has received counselling, food, housing and entry into a beautician’s course. She is able to work while her baby is in day care. A great mom, Goriyan has even reconnected with the father of her baby who is showing that he is now serious about their relationship.  Their plan to shift closer to his family in the province once she finished training, has now become a reality.

“In the hardest time of my life you helped me,” says Goriyan to the staff. “Thank you.”

*Due to the need to protect the privacy of clients of Mother’s Heart, names and images that might reveal their identity are avoided. Thanks for your understanding.