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Mothers in rural Kajiado to benefit from new hospital -the Chief Ole Mpaa Health Centre

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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Chief-Ole-Mpaa-Health Centre

For years, residents in Oloilalei in Kajiado South Constituency have had to endure long treks through a treacherous 30-kilometre journey to access services at the nearest hospital. The arduous journey, on rough terrain, has always endangered their lives, especially for pregnant women.

“The situation has always been particularly bad for expectant women whose labour pains struck at night. We would have to embark on the dangerous journey in the dark, risking encounters with elephants on the way to the hospital,” said Ann Ntasikoi, a resident in Oloilalei.

Thankfully, Ann and other residents can now heave a sigh of relief following the commissioning of a new hospital in the area -the Chief Ole Mpaa Health Centre. The facility will now enable populations in unreached areas in rural Kajiado to access services in a place that is closer to them. The Chief Ole Mpaa Health Centre comprises an outpatient section, a maternity wing, a laboratory, and a radiology section among other critical clinical services.

Also read: How I lost my wife to delivery complications: a Kenyan father shares his story

Elizabeth Tantaine, another resident also expressed relief at the new health facility, saying that it will help in improving the quality of care for mothers and their newborn babies.

“I am elated that we now have a maternity unit nearby. Due to the distance we had to trek before getting antenatal and postnatal services, many mothers used to forego antenatal checkups and taking their babies for monthly clinics. Now with a health facility just a few kilometers away, they will not miss such essential services,” she said.

Source: KNA Photo: J. Lenku.

Also read: Maternal health services boosted in Kiptangwanyi, Gilgil sub-County

Also read: Breastfeeding room launched in Ndhiwa Comprehensive School to support lactating teachers

Mummy Tales welcomes news tips on issues related to maternal health care. If there’s an issue you’d like to see reported on, please email: maryanne@mummytales.com

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l INSTAGRAM l TWITTER

Maternal health services boosted in Kiptangwanyi, Gilgil sub-County

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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Kiptangwanyi-maternity-dispensary
Some of the beds at the new Kiptangwanyi maternity unit.

By Maryanne W. WAWERU l maryanne@mummytales.com

Expectant mothers from the village of Kiptangwanyi, Elementaita Ward in Gilgil sub-County, Nakuru County now have closer access to maternal health services following the establishment of a new 24-bed maternity unit at Kiptangwanyi Dispensary.

Previously, the mothers had to rely on Gilgil sub-county Hospital, or the Nakuru Teaching and Referral Hospital for these services –a distance of approximately 60 km from Kiptangwanyi. The new facility will offer comprehensive maternity services at the ward level, thereby reducing referrals to Level 4 and 5 hospitals. It will also allow mothers to receive quality care closer to home.

About 1,849 women in Elementaita ward receive antenatal care (ANC) services annually. The establishment of the 24-bed maternity at Kiptangwanyi Dispensary is expected to raise this number, as the facility is aimed at enhancing maternal and child health by improving healthcare services, reducing congestion, and cutting down on the long distances that mothers have to make to access maternal health services.

The new maternity unit will offer prenatal care, skilled birth attendance, postnatal support, nutritional counselling, and mental health services to ensure safe deliveries and better maternal health outcomes. Through the new maternity unit, it is expected that there will be reduced maternal and neonatal mortality in Gilgil sub-County and neighbouring areas.

Kiptangwanyi-maternity-DispensaryKiptangwanyi-maternity-DispensaryPhotos credit: Nakuru County Government

Mummy Tales welcomes news tips on issues related to maternal health care. If there’s an issue you’d like to see reported on, please email: maryanne@mummytales.com

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l INSTAGRAM l TWITTER

Breastfeeding room launched in Ndhiwa Comprehensive School to support working mothers

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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Photo courtesy: KEWOTA

By Maryanne W. WAWERU l maryanne@mummytales.com

Tr. Anyango is a Junior Secondary School (JSS) teacher at Ndhiwa Comprehensive School in Homa Bay County, teaching grades 7 – 9. She is also a new mother. Tr. Anyango has been facing various challenges pertaining to her responsibilities as a new mother, and her work.

“Sometimes when I’m in school, I’m told that my son is crying and doesn’t want to eat anything. When this happens, I have to ask for permission from the School Head to return home to breastfeed him before rushing back to school,” she says.

According to Tr. Anyango, many are the times when a mother has prepared herself to go to work in the morning, and at the last minute, the house help suddenly announces that she will not be reporting for duty that day or is quitting her job. This leaves the new mother completely stranded as she has no immediate alternative help that can step in on such short notice.

It also means that the mother has to call her employer to excuse herself from duty as she sorts out that emergency. Tr. Anyango says that many female teachers, including those who are breastfeeding, often find themselves in such predicaments.

It is these kinds of scenarios that Tr. Anyango and many other lactating female teachers face that inspired the Kenya Women Teachers Association (KEWOTA) to establish a breastfeeding parlour in the school.

Launched on 14 February 2025, the breastfeeding parlour is intended to support female teachers. The room is a safe space where they can comfortably breastfeed and interact with their babies while on their teaching breaks or when necessary, thereby enhancing their mental health and wellbeing while at work. This in turn helps them be more at ease as they focus on their duties.

The breastfeeding room at Ndhiwa Comprehensive School can comfortably host about 10 – 15 nursing mothers at any given time. This is able to cover all the teachers in the school who may need to use the facility.

The lactating mothers may opt to bring their child to work, or they can ask their house help to bring the child over when they are on a break from their lessons. In the room, they can comfortably nurse their babies before returning to class. Knowing that their babies are well fed, are resting well, and are generally well cared for in the room will give them peace of mind and thus significantly boosting their productivity at work.

Mercy Odhiambo, the KEWOTA Coordinator for Homa Bay County says that the establishment of the breastfeeding parlour at Ndhiwa Comprehensive School is a notable achievement. She says that KEWOTA, whose main mandate is to ‘work for the woman teacher’ has been advocating for such a facility as it will go a long way in addressing the challenges that female teachers with small babies face. She has urged school heads across the country to take up the same initiative, reiterating KEWOTA’s commitment to facilitate the establishment of the same in other schools.

Dulo Nedy, the Deputy Head Teacher at Ndhiwa Comprehensive School welcomed the initiative, saying that indeed, the breastfeeding parlour will be of immense benefit to lactating teachers at the school. She said that the comfort of knowing that their babies are around them will assist in their mental health.

In cases where they do not have a caregiver at home to watch over their babies, the Deputy Head Teacher said that the facility will help address this problem as the teacher will now be able to bring their child over to school and attend their lessons as required, while the baby is being cared for in the room.

This, she says, will reduce cases of absenteeism, especially in situations where teachers are left stranded when the house helps leave them stranded and they have to miss their lessons as they resolve the issues at home. She added that the benefits of the breastfeeding room will calm the teacher’s minds and ultimately enhance their output in school.

Information source: Nation 

How does your workplace support new mothers? Is there a breastfeeding room? Does it offer flexible working arrangements? You can comment down below, or you can write to me at maryanne@mummytales.com with this information. 

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l INSTAGRAM l TWITTER

Kenya transitions to single-dose HPV vaccination regimen

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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cervical-cancer-Kenya

Kenya has introduced the single-dose human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which offers effective protection against the human papillomavirus (HPV) -the primary cause of cervical cancer. Previously, the HPV vaccine required a two-dose regimen (three in some cases) for enhanced protection.

Dr. Patrick Amoth, Director General of Health has urged parents and caregivers to ensure that all eligible girls aged 10 – 15 years receive the vaccine. He also called on healthcare professionals, parents, and the media to play an active role in raising awareness and debunking myths surrounding cervical cancer.

Also read: Why I took my daughter for the HPV vaccine -journalist Sarah Kimani’s story

The latest GLOBOCAN 2022 report reports that Kenya records 5,845 new cases and 3,591 deaths each year, making cervical cancer a significant public health challenge.

According to the National Cancer Institute, nearly all people who are sexually active will become infected with HPV at some point in their lives. Most HPV infections go away on their own within a year or two as the immune system controls the infection. These short-term infections do not cause cancer. When a high-risk HPV infection lasts for years, it can lead to changes in the cervical cells, resulting in a precancerous lesion. If the precancerous lesion is not found and removed, it may eventually develop into cervical cancer.

People who become sexually active at a young age, especially before age 18, or have multiple sexual partners are more likely to become infected with a high-risk type of HPV.

Kenya’s Ministry of Health has launched a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening awareness on cervical cancer, promoting early screening, and enhancing community engagement. These include nationwide advocacy campaigns, partnerships with the STOP Cervical Cancer Coalition, and training programs for healthcare workers on the latest advancements in cervical cancer management.

For any feedback about this article, email maryanne@mummytales.com

Mummy Tales is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l INSTAGRAM l TWITTER

“My church doesn’t accommodate single parents well. I need a new church.” Kenyan mother laments

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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I’ve come across one Kenyan mother on TikTok by the user name @namunyakdebra who has expressed dismay at her church not having spaces/groups for single parents to meet after the main service. Usually, groups of people with similar interests meet to discuss issues of concern to them. For example widow groups, groups for young married couples as well as those who have been married for long, youth groups, men groups etc.

Her issue of concern is the church’s lack of single parents’ groups for congregants like her. She feels that single parents are unfairly discriminated against because of this. She laments about how this makes single parents like her feel left out and ‘out of place’.

The mother made the TikTok video while passing time after the main service, as she waited for her children to be released from their respective church engagements.

Visibly disappointed, she acknowledged that there’s nothing much she can do about it as it is the church’s structure. “It feels a bit unfair, but it is what it is,” she said. She is now considering finding a new church that is more accommodative of single parents like her.

@btnams

sometimes it can be overwhelming.. it’s good to go to a place that is accomodative#church #sunday#singlemom

♬ original sound – namunyakdebra

The comments section was quite interesting, with many women sharing recommendations about their own churches where they feel embraced as single parents.

Some suggested that she voice her concern to the church leadership about the absence of groups for single parents.

Others shared that it is because of such discriminative practices that they stopped going to church altogether, choosing to instead worship God from the comfort of their homes.

Others agreed with her, suggesting that she finds a church where she will feel loved and embraced as a single parent.

How about you? Does your church accommodate single parents, or do you feel that it discriminates them? As a single parent, do you have an experience that you’d like to share? You can email me at maryanne@mummytales.com

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l INSTAGRAM l TWITTER

How I lost my wife to delivery complications: a Kenyan father shares his story

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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John Maina at his home in Nyeri.

John Maina, 56, is a single father of seven: four girls and three boys. He hails from a small rural village in Nyeri County. In 2011, Maina lost his wife to childbirth complications as she delivered their seventh child. In this article, he talks about the circumstances that led to the demise of his wife.

Do you know the story of a woman who died during pregnancy, in childbirth, or within 42 days after giving birth? To better understand why many Kenyan women are still dying from pregnancy-related causes, you can help by telling their story. Please write to me at maryanne@mummytales.com

By Maryanne W. WAWERU

I remember the day vividly. 14 April 2011. I had returned home in the evening from my routine tea-picking kibarua job at a neighbouring village. Heavily pregnant and almost due, I found my wife resting in bed. When I asked her if she was okay, her response was that she was fine, just that she was feeling a little tired, which I did not find to be unusual.

After catching up with the children, I excused myself at about 7pm and stepped out. I headed to the local shopping center to catch up with my friends over a sundowner. However, the drink had barely gone down my throat before I received an alarming call from my neighbour, informing me that my wife had given birth at home, and that she was bleeding profusely. The neighbour asked me to return home urgently, and to ensure that I came with money to hire a taxi to rush my wife to hospital.

I dashed back home and found my wife in a blood bath, in our bedroom. I tried talking to her, but she just lay there on the bed, still.

What had happened?

Shortly after I had left the house, my wife had gone into unexpected labor, and the delivery had been so fast with no time to prepare. She had been in the bedroom when the labour pains began and when they got intense, she called out for the children to get help from the neighbours. The children did as instructed but by the time the neighbours arrived, she had already delivered the baby, all by herself, in our bed.

The newborn was well, but the mother was not.

The neighbours swung into action by cutting the umbilical cord and wrapping the baby in warm blankets. My wife, weak from the episode whispered to my neighbours asking for a glass of water.

I got there in the middle of that pandemonium.

The taxi arrived shortly thereafter, and we rushed her to the nearest health facility, about 3km away. The journey to the health facility was on a rough road, which made the trip quite arduous.

When we got to the health facility, and immediately upon examining her while still in the vehicle, the nurses told us to instead rush her to the Nyeri Provincial General Hospital (PGH). I wondered why they instructed us this way, without even attending to her.

Nevertheless, we did as told and began another journey to the PGH, which was about 6km away. When we arrived there, they pronounced her dead on arrival. I was shocked! How?

I mean, hadn’t I had a conversation with her just before I left the house for a sundowner? Other than the usual pregnancy fatigue, wasn’t she otherwise okay? She had been well, with no problems by the time I was leaving the house. Hadn’t she had six other pregnancies before? Hadn’t she safely delivered all six babies? How was it that she was now dead? I couldn’t believe it.

Why did she die?

People were curious about what had led to my wife’s death. I was curious too. There was lots of talk in the village about her demise. There are those who said that it was her placenta that didn’t come out. Others said that her uterus came out together with the baby. I don’t know what exactly happened, but all I know is that she bled to death. The best explanation would have come from the medics, but I never asked them. I also never requested for a post-mortem because I saw no point in it, since it was not going to bring her back. There was no foul play, and she hadn’t died in unclear circumstances. That she had lost a lot of blood during childbirth was enough for me.

My wife’s birth history

My wife had delivered all our six older children with no complications at all. She had delivered all of them at home with the help of a few other older women. She knew how she did it, and it had never been an issue of concern.

She would regularly attend her antenatal clinics at a health facility but when it came to delivery, I never knew why she chose to deliver at home. I never understood it, I never asked her, and we never talked about it. I figured she was more knowledgeable about issues of pregnancy and childbirth than I was, and I trusted her. Besides, since she had never experienced any complications before, it never alarmed me, so I never insisted.

I had never once accompanied my wife to any of her antenatal clinics during her pregnancies. I must admit that pregnancy is something that I never made the effort to really understand. I fully relied on my wife, and I just used to go with what she said. I used to depend on her to tell me how things were. In hindsight, I should have done more. I should have been more engaged.

How has life been since his wife died?

I was left with a newborn and six other children to raise. As you can imagine, life has not been easy. However, my mother has been of great help. She is the one who cared and nurtured the newborn, together with all the other children. The newborn is now a healthy 13-year-old pupil in Grade 8. My mother has been my pillar and has helped us navigate life in the absence of my wife. I have never remarried as I’m not sure what value a new wife would bring to my life or that of my children. We are okay the way we are.

Also read: How I Lost my Wife to Post-Childbirth Complications

My wife died at the age of 44 years. She was too young to die and I still feel the gap she left in my life.

Her death taught me about how delicate pregnancies are, and how delivery is literally a matter of life and death.

To be honest, I never concerned myself much with my wife’s pregnancies. If I were to turn back the hands of time, I would be more involved. I would have accompanied her to her antenatal clinics as there, I would have learned more about healthy pregnancies and safe deliveries. Maybe I would have had a discussion with my wife about why she always chose to deliver at home instead of a hospital. We would have talked about it. Maybe I would have changed her mind and convinced her to deliver in a health facility. But it’s too late now.

Also read: What makes you scared to give birth again? Kenyan mothers share their reasons

Do you know the story of a woman who died during pregnancy, in childbirth, or within 42 days after giving birth? To better understand why many Kenyan women are still dying during childbirth, you can help by telling their story. Please write to me at maryanne@mummytales.com

Are you a nurse, midwife, gynaecologist, community health promoter or other healthcare professional with important information to share with the Kenyan community on this issue? Please write to me at maryanne@mummytales.com

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l INSTAGRAM l TWITTER

I want to delay having children until I’m 36. Is this a wise decision?

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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Kenyan-mothers

How late is too late to have a child? How old is too old to be a first-time mother?

So, there’s this 28-year-old lady who is worried that, at child-bearing age, she hasn’t thought of settling down with a husband/partner. But that’s not the main issue. Her greatest worry is that she wants children, but not just yet –at least not before she’s 36.

However, everyone she mentions this to keeps yapping about how the quality of eggs for a woman deteriorate after the age of 30. And even more scarier is that the deterioration rate goes on overdrive after the age of 35.

Her reason for wanting to delay childbearing is because she wants to continue enjoying life for now- scaling heights in the career ladder, traveling around the world for work leisure (which she currently frequently and comfortably does), lazing around on weekends doing nothing but binging on series’ and movies, and basically having no responsibilities at all other than herself. She would also like to continue clubbing for a couple of years more while imbibing her favourite tipple –something she has decided to stop doing once she has children. Until the age of 36, she still wants to continue exploring the world and enjoying life without serious commitments.

Thing is, she has seen what motherhood does to women, where the mother no longer has a life of her own, but one that is practically dictated to by her child/children.

She believes that motherhood, whether you like it or not, and regardless of whether you are with a supportive and present partner or not, changes the life of a woman completely. She believes that the decision to have a child is not one that should be taken lightly. For now, she enjoys a pretty comfortable and carefree life, one that she knows she will not be able to achieve once she becomes a mother –at least to the level of satisfaction she enjoys now.

So she’s pondering over the decision to delay having a child at least until she’s 36 years old as she feels she’ll then be mentally ready and fully committed to dealing with all the changes and responsibilities that come with motherhood.

But she’s also wondering if having a child after 36 will be too late for her, and if she’ll be able to have a healthy child considering that her eggs will have already significantly deteriorated at that age.

In an online forum whose membership is Kenyan mothers, I sought their advice on this matter. Below is a sample of some of their responses:

  1. Fertility starts declining from mid 30’s. But every story is different. Go for it but remember advanced age comes with its own complications.
  2. Have the babies when you are read mentally, spiritually and financially. And above all with a responsible partner who is ready, able and willing to be a dad.
  3. I think Women should have children when they feel ready whether it’s at 20 or 40…..there is no guarantee in life so go for it.
  4. Take your time. No need to suffer seeking acceptance from society. The child belongs to you. Any other person can abandon the child but not the mother. Prepare for them.
  5. Have kids when you’re ready, not when society tells you to.
  6. I had my daughter at 37. I don’t think I’d be the mother I am if I had her in say my twenties. Worked out perfectly for me. Wouldn’t change it for the world.
  7. Please trust your guts. Do it if it feels right for you.
  8. Having babies when one is ready is a beautiful decision.
  9. Yes. It’s wise decision. It sounds unpopular because people have normalized giving birth at 20’s when the are emotionally immature and naïve when it comes to relationships. It is children by choice, not chance.

*If you are a mom who had a child/children later in life and would like to share your experience (you can be anonymous), please write me at maryanne@mummytales.com

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l INSTAGRAM l TWITTER

Kenya’s Ministry of Health to conduct nationwide polio vaccination campaign

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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Mary-muthoni-muriuki
Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Ms. Mary Muthoni Muriuki.

Kenya’s Ministry of Health will launch a nationwide polio vaccination campaign from 2 – 6 October 2024, in response to a recent outbreak of circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus Type 2 (cVDPV2) in the country.

This year, five cases have been confirmed, including four children from Kakuma Refugee Camp in Turkana County and one positive environmental surveillance sample in Kamukunji Sub-County, Nairobi.

The vaccination campaign will target over 3.8 million children under the age of five across nine high-risk counties: Nairobi, Busia, Bungoma, Turkana, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Kiambu, Machakos, and Kajiado, said Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Ms. Mary Muthoni Muriuki.

She emphasized the government’s commitment to eradicating polio and highlighted the crucial role of over 107,000 Community Health Promoters in the campaign’s success. Ms. Muriuki urged parents and caregivers in the target counties to ensure their children are vaccinated.

UPDATE as of 10 October 2024

Following numerous complaints by parents and guardians of children who had received the vaccine about adverse reactions on them, the Ministry of Health offered the below response:

“The Ministry of Health has received unverified reports regarding adverse events arising from the recent polio vaccination campaign. Investigations are ongoing, and a formal statement will be issued in due course. We discourage members of the public from spreading rumors and misinformation until the Ministry issues official information on this matter. Additional information on the polio vaccination campaign can be accessed from health.go.ke. For inquiries, please call 719.”

Also read: How polio shattered my dreams to be a KDF solder: Harold Kipchumba
Harold-Kipchumba

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l INSTAGRAM l TWITTER

Photos courtesy: @MOH_Kenya

What common challenges do new mothers face?

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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parenting advice Kenyan mothers

I asked several Kenyan mothers on Facebook this question:

“What common challenges do new mothers face?”

I then listed down the most common and recurring responses they gave, in the hope that future moms, expectant moms, and current new moms can know that they are not alone in what they are facing. See them below:

1. Sleep deprivation and the resultant fatigue. Lack of sleep was the topmost challenge cited by almost all moms who responded

2. Anxiety and panic –when you keep checking on baby all the time just to ensure they are still breathing

3. Breastfeeding challenges especially cracked nipples which come about when baby latches wrongly. Cracked nipples can be HORRENDOUSLY painful!!!

4. Colic… when the baby cries nonstop for hours yet they are not hungry or sleepy and you just don’t know what to do…

5. When you can no longer recognize your body as you feel all sorts of battered, bruised and sore in every area from the tip of your hair to the soles of your feet. Sometimes you can still look very heavily pregnant, yet baby came out long ago. New motherhood can seriously alter you physically, mentally and emotionally and you struggle to understand who exactly you are, what you are doing on this earth and if you’ll make a good mom

6. The feeling that your freedom is long gone as you are now confined indoors with baby. The frustration of not being in control anymore as every decision -the time you wake up, sleep, shower, eat, answer your phone, catch some fresh air… is totally controlled by the baby

7. As easy as it may appear, bathing and dressing a newborn can be VERY stressful

8. There’s just so much to handle as a new mom and this can cause overwhelming bouts of sadness that can either be baby blues or post-partum depression.

9. The strain of a new baby in a relationship. A previously thriving relationship can begin turning sour because of the new roles and adjustments. Romance can simply vanish into thin air!

It gets better with time.

So those are the topmost challenges I gathered from the moms who shared their responses. The good thing that I’d like to assure new mothers, is that it gets better with time.

Also, if you feel overwhelmed, please seek help from your family, relatives, friends, neighbours, colleagues, etc. Reach out. Don’t ever be afraid to ask for help. You’ll be surprised at the overwhelming love and support that these communities have for you. You are not alone.

Do you have a motherhood experience that you’d like to share? Please email me at maryanne@mummytales.com  

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l INSTAGRAM l TWITTER

Image by Manojiit Tamen from Pixabay

Book Review: ‘Risking it All’ by Anna-Maria Mwachinga

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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‘Risking it All’ by Anna-Maria Mwachinga

Title: Risking it All

Author: Anna-Maria Mwachinga

Genre: Christian romance (fiction)

Available at: My Bidhaa, Nuria bookstore, Amazon

Reviewer: Maryanne W. Waweru

I was instantly attracted to this book when a promo of it showed up on my Instagram feed. I was immediately drawn to it by the cover –the colors, the flashy girl, and the title. ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ notwithstanding, I, judging on its outward appearance alone, decided that it would be worth a read.

Now, let me begin by stating that ‘Risking it All’ by Anna-Maria Mwachinga is a purely Christian-based novel, so if you’re not into a scripture-based lifestyle, you may find it to be a bit of a challenging read.

So, the book principally features the family, romantic and professional life of the main character, Abby, a young lady who is a born-again Christian.

The author takes us through Abby’s experiences as a fresh graduate, and her entry into her first job as a management trainee in their family-owned business. We also get to learn about her life-long links with her childhood friends –one of whom is a fellow management trainee, her workplace experiences and of course, the romantic liaisons that characterize the life of most young adults in their early-to-mid-twenties. The author takes us through Abby’s internal conflict between two potential love interests, and her test of faith as a born-again Christian when it comes to dating –for marriage.

Parental influence

From my observation, Abby’s life is heavily peppered by the domineering presence and influence of her parents. I’m not sure if Abby is living her own life, or if she’s living her life as subtly dictated to by her parents.

Abby’s experiences remind me of the lives of many young Christian women. Always conflicted about doing right by God and by their parents, vs. wanting to just make their own decisions when faced with the temptations of the world and thereafter facing the consequences of their against-the-grain, sometimes radical decisions.

Abby’s experiences also made me ponder over the boundaries that one should have when it comes to their parent’s influence in their lives. At what point should one begin to make independent decisions, without heavily factoring in what their parents think? At what point should parents step back and let children live their own lives? How can parents offer guidance to their children without indirectly imposing their wishes and beliefs on them?

As a parent, it is good for you to read this book as it will help you reflect on how you parent your child, your power over them, and to what extent this influence is healthy.

The test of salvation

When we are saved and our love interests are non-saved people, what are we willing to compromise on, and what are our non-negotiables?

The book made me reflect on the dilemma that many born-again Christians face, between sticking to one’s strong beliefs vs looking at issues from a practical point of view. Some of the decisions by the characters in the book also made me think about our love interests and the lengths to which they are willing to go to be in our lives. Especially when they know about our non-negotiables. How can we determine their genuineness, more so when they come back to us freshly aligned with what they know are our deal breakers? Do they remain changed after we accept them, or do they revert once they know they have bagged the prize? Are we usually willing to take that risk?

These are some of the questions I kept asking myself as I flipped through the pages of ‘Risking it All’ by Anna-Maria Mwachinga.

‘Risking it All’ by Anna-Maria Mwachinga

What was a miss for me about the book was the inclusion of lengthy scriptures and prayers by some of the characters, which I didn’t think were necessary. For example, there is a part in the book where the entire Psalms 136 is published. Though they gave good context and meaning, I skipped most of those prayers and scriptures.

Would I recommend this book?

Absolutely! If you have a daughter, niece, cousin, friend, or friend’s daughter who is in her final year in campus, or one who has just graduated, this is a read they would appreciate. Especially if they have been raised in the Christian way of life.

The book is also good for parents who are raising their young children in the ways of the Lord, as it will help them to reinforce some values and teachings which will come in handy as they become young adults. So, this is a book for both young people and parents.

This is a new book, only launched earlier this month on 2 August 2024. I hope that the author will give us a sequel to this book because I am interested in knowing how Abby’s life turned out in her next chapter of life. I would like to know if it continued being sugar, spices, and all things nice, or if she got to face the real challenges of adulting life, particularly where romantic commitment is concerned.

Where to buy ‘Risking it All’ by Anna-Maria Mwachinga

You can purchase the book from My Bidhaa, Nuria bookstore or Amazon. If you do read the book, feel free to let me know your thoughts about it in the comments section below. If you have already read it, please share your thoughts too!

Are you an author of a book you would like me to review? You can write me at: maryanne@mummytales.com for more information.

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