“Triplets! A blessing or a curse?”

Br. Frank Posing for a photo with the triplets.

These were the words of Ruben Centre Director Br. Frank O’Shea when asked on his opinion with regards to Ruben Health Centre’s maternity aiding a mother from Mukuru deliver triplets through normal delivery on February 21st, 2023. According to the mother of two boys and a girl, the most she had anticipated were twins, given the size of her bump during pregnancy.

“I thought I was carrying one big baby or twins and I chose to deliver at the only maternity in Mukuru because this is where I registered Linda Mama at. When the time to deliver came, I pushed the first baby. The midwife told me to push again. However, I then was shocked when she told me there was another baby after successfully pushing the second one,” Joyce Atieno informed us.

The family, which already had daughters aged 9 and 3 years respectively, is living from hand to mouth in a 10 foot by 10 foot iron sheet room in Mukuru kwa Ruben. According to Vinus Musungu, the father of the children who is a casual worker, said he was shocked at the news that God had blessed him with triplets.

He went on to say, “When my wife was delivering, I was asked to bring diapers. I brought two diapers but was asked to bring another one because she had delivered TRIPLETS!”  Apparently, the whole Mukuru community was shocked as word spread like wild fire and asking in biblical fashion like “how can this be?” The family is calling on well-wishers to support them to get the necessary requirements to take care of George and Sam both weighing 1.7kg and their little sister Shakaina coming in at 1.5kg.

Instead of sending them home as usual, Br. Frank opted to keep them under watch for a whole week checking on the mother and the baby’s health in a private room.  Ruben Centre has already been able to cater for their immediate needs including clothes, blankets, diapers, and baby formula “Hanan” to supplement the mum feeding her babies.

“We as Ruben Centre are planning to support this family for about six months as it finds ways of sustaining itself and maybe come to terms with the task ahead,” said Br. Frank. “We are happy that our health facility is up-to task and is already attending to the babies George, Sam and the wee sister Shakaina” he added, noting that this is the first case of its kind out of the more than 5,000 deliveries recorded at the maternity hospital since its inception in May 2018.

Ruben Centre is asking well-wishers to lend a hand with this noble duty through our Mpesa Paybill number 647878, and the Account name is Donation.  Rotary International has already provided the infants with Baby Mwanzo Packs which consists of a pair of clothes, a mosquito net and a special box which acts as baby court, considering the birth weight and dire need of the family for support.

WITH YOUR HELP RUBEN CENTRE CAN MAKE THESE TRIPLETS A TRUE BLESSINGS.

DETAILS OF THE BANK

Name of bank:          I & M Bank Limited

Branch:                    South C

P.O Box 30238-00100 GPO Nairobi 

Branch code:          013

Bank code:             057

A/c number:               01300287101219 

A/c name:         CHRISTIAN BROTHERS RUBEN CENTRE

Swift code:                 IMBLKENA

By: Frank, Benson & Mercy

Edits: GB