2 Balaka women give birth to triplets

The birth of a baby in a family is always a source of happiness, but this is not the case with two Balaka mothers who recently gave birth to triplets at Balaka District Hospital as they fear they will not be able to fully support the children.

Margaret Chikafa, 32, and Enelesi Levasoni, 33, coincidentally gave birth to a set of boys. Chikafa gave birth to the triplets on April 4 2012 whereas Levasoni delivered a week later at the same hospital. The children were referred to Comfort Clinics nursery in the district as they were born prematurely.

In separate interviews on Wednesday, the mothers appealed to well-wishers to help support the children.

“I expected one child, but I was surprised to deliver three. I have just accepted it as a gift from God. It is a huge responsibility for us to take care of these children,” said Chikafa who already has four children and whose family depends on farming.

Levasoni, who will now have 10 children, prayed that some good Samaritan would come to support her.

“We are just simple farmers and poor; hence, we cannot look after these children properly,” said Levasoni.

Meanwhile, two mothers in Zomba on Sunday also gave birth to triplets at Zomba Central Hospital (ZCH).

According to a hospital official, the triplets were born to the families of Felix and Jessie Liwonde, and Daveson and Teleza Pholera.

Felix is a Malawi Defence Force (MDF) officer at Cobbe Barracks while his wife is a traffic police officer whereas the Pholeras are businesspeople in the old capital. (With additional reporting by Nelson Ndhlovu, Correspondent)