Mother of three temporarily takes in 20-year-old who gave birth at Uhuru Park

After the story of Rebecca Atieno, the 20-year-old who gave birth at Uhuru Park went viral on social media, Kenyans turned up in solidarity to help her.

One such samaritan is Christine Nkatha,  who took both Rebecca and baby Hope to live with her temporarily in their home in Ongata Rongai.

The mother of three girls reveals that when she got to Kenyatta Hospital, she found that the hospital bill had been cleared by another good samaritan who did not want to be mentioned.

“After reading the story on the Standard, I was really touched. I thought to myself how best I can help her and I realised what she needed immediately was a place to stay and food. That is when we decided as a family to take her in until she recovers,” she says.

Christine has appealed for more people to turn up so as to find a permanent and sustainable solution to help Rebecca.

“I would wish for Rebecca to get a decent job, and her own home so that she can take care of the child but until then, we shall do everything within our means to help her,” says Christine.

Incase you may want to help Rebecca, please reach out to Christine Nkatha on 0715074261

Meanwhile, community health based organization, Toto Care Box, gifted Rebecca with a gift box containing essentials such as a water-proof mattress, under sheet, blanket, mosquito net, set of baby clothes, and reusable nappies, water purifier, cotton wool, surgical spirit, soap, leso, condoms, medication for dehydration and diarrhoea, waterproof pant, and nappy fastener.

@TotoCareBox have gifted Rebbeca and baby Hope with a #TotoCareBox today. We are so glad we were able to ensure that she has the basics to enable her to take care of baby hope. #ADignifiedStartToLife #Hope #BabyBox #Kenya pic.twitter.com/SeRUbLaRwB

— TotoCareBox (@TotoCareBox) March 14, 2019

 

According to the Standard, Rebecca had gone to get a breather at the recreational park, when her water broke.

“She tried standing against a tree near her. There was no one in sight to come to her rescue. After 30 minutes, Atieno gave birth to a baby girl, unassisted and wrapped her with her sweater,” the Standard Newspaper reported on Thursday.

Rebecca had just lost her job at a hotel on that fateful day, and evicted from her lodging in Mathare the previous night for not being able to raise Sh50 rent. As a result, Uhuru Park was the only place she could go to.

Because Rebecca did not have a coin to call her own, she could not even afford Sh10 to use the public toilet.

“I did not have Sh10 and my phone was switched off, the attendant forced me to surrender the handset so she could let me use the facility,” Rebecca told The Standard.

However, a good Samaritan alerted the St. John’s Ambulance who then took her to Kenyatta National Hospital.

Although Rebecca is jobless, homeless, and is separated from the father of her child, she counts it a blessing delivering a perfectly health baby.

“I marveled at my newborn daughter’s perfect fingers and toes. I felt lucky, as all new parents do, but also because i had somehow miraculously managed to do this all on my own,” Rebecca told the Standard.