- A Mother’s Heartbreaking Loss: Meva Bai, a mother of twelve, lost seven children to measles due to extreme poverty and lack of medical access.
- Struggle for Survival: She and her husband work tirelessly selling cheap goods but barely earn enough to feed their five surviving children.
- A Glimpse of Hope: With her daughter’s health at risk, Meva Bai seeks medical help, and a local organization pledges support for free healthcare
In the dusty streets of a village near Rohri town, the air fills with a woman’s cries, offering cheap jewelry and cosmetics to passersby. This is Meva Bai, a mother of twelve, seven of whom were lost to the cruel grip of poverty and disease. Draped in tattered clothes and worn-out sandals, she carries her small wooden showcase on her shoulders, walking miles each day to earn a living—yet, despite her relentless efforts, the earnings never seem enough to feed her large family.
Her husband, Prem Das, sells toys and balloons in nearby villages, returning each afternoon to their modest home in Bhittai Colony. At just 45, life’s hardships have aged him far beyond his years. Their existence is a cycle of struggle, where each day is a battle against hunger and despair.
But nothing compares to the heartbreak of losing six children in a single month. Meva Bai recalls that it began with measles. Without money for treatment, home remedies were their only hope. One by one, the infection claimed her children, their tiny bodies unable to fight back. While pregnant with her twelfth child, she witnessed the unimaginable—six burials in a span of weeks. The seventh, a newborn, passed away within hours of birth.
Now, with five children left, Meva Bai clings to hope, particularly for her daughter, Arti, a bright student in the seventh grade. But Arti’s health is fragile. Her yellowing eyes hint at a serious liver condition, yet medical care remains a distant dream. Determined to break the cycle of suffering, she resolves to take Arti for medical tests, even if it means sacrificing what little they have.
Unlike her own illiterate parents, Meva Bai understands the value of education. Her children and grandchildren attend the Riverside Community High School, which offers free quality education and transport. However, awareness about reproductive health remains scarce in her community. It took twelve pregnancies and seven losses for Meva Bai to realize the dangers of frequent childbirth.
Her story reached the ears of Munawar Gill, the founder of Riverside Development Organization, who promised to arrange free medical treatment for families like hers through the Hindu Panchayat Charitable Hospital. For the first time in years, hope flickers in Meva Bai’s weary eyes. Yet, deep within, she carries the pain of a mother who has buried more than half of her children—a sorrow no gratitude can erase.
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