Mariam Nabatanzi with her children

Mariam Nabatanzi is only 40 years old this year but has spent 18 years giving birth. She married a man 28 years older than her and gave birth to her first two children when she was only 13 years old.

In addition to the single births, she has had 6 twins, 4 triplets and 3 quadruplets. Except for the last time, which was a cesarean section in 2016, all previous times, Mariam Nabatanzi gave birth naturally.

Mariam Nabatanzi gave birth to a total of 44 children, but due to poor care conditions, 6 of them died. Mariam Nabatanzi currently lives with 38 children.

Mariam Nabatanzi’s life with her “children” is very difficult when her violent husband is hardly at home. He even “disappeared” for months and barely participated in raising his children, except for giving them names.

Food is a burden for Mariam Nabatanzi as she has to pay for her 38 children on her own. She said that every day, on average, her family needs 10 kg of cornmeal or corn, 7 kg of beans and 4 kg of sugar.

Even though it was difficult, she still sent all her children to school. One of her first twins has now become a nurse and can help her mother earn money.

To stop the pregnancy, after giving birth to her youngest child in December 2016, Ms. Nabatanzi had to ask the doctor to remove her uterus.

Some pictures of the life of Mariam Nabatanzi and her daughter: