Over the past few years, our annual solicitation letter has focused on a particular child-mother pair. With their permission, we’ve used their real names and shared pictures of them.  This year we will again focus on a mother-child pair, but this year the names have been changed; and this year there is no picture to share.
 
Parental pressure forced Moumita to leave school when she completed class 5; she was married at the age of 16.  Within a year, she was pregnant and delivered a female child who died at the age of 3 months.  The following year, she was pregnant again and delivered a still-born son.  Since then, Moumita has given birth to four girls ranging in age from 2 to 7. Her husband earns less than $60 per month to care for the family of 6. 
 
While Moumita has raised four beautiful daughters despite this meager family income of $2 a day, she is considered a failure as a wife and as a daughter-in-law. The reason: Moumita has not given birth to a son. 
 
A year ago, Moumita was pregnant again.  Moumita’s family went to a local faith healer who assured them that this time Moumita would deliver a healthy boy.  Given that assurance, Moumita’s family convinced her that she did not even need pre-natal care during her pregnancy.  (Imagine, as you read on, the difference that one of our Calcutta Kids Community Health Workers, trained to remain actively involved with both the mother and her family, could have made!) The in-laws then travelled many miles to be with their daughter-in-law as she delivered their grandson. (It is highly unusual for in-laws to travel from their village for the birth of a 5^th child.)
 
Moumita was at home surrounded by her family when her child was born.  There was no medical supervision at the birth. 
 
The following day, Moumita herself carried her child to our Calcutta Kids clinic.  Before even touching the infant, the doctor asked Moumita why the face of the child was squashed.  Moumita began weeping inconsolably. The doctor touched the child and then excused herself.  Shortly thereafter, Moumita and her child were escorted to a government hospital which had the authority to provide a death certificate to Moumita’s one day old girl. 
 
What happened exactly? Because of the legal ramifications, no one will come right out and say.  But it is widely accepted in the community that the worst imaginable is what happened.  The family did not want another girl.
 
In the past, we’ve tried to inspire your generous annual giving to Calcutta Kids with stories of success and progress.  (And for success and progress, have a look at our Fall 2012 newsletter.)  This year our story is one of tragedy and despair.  We share it because the story underlines just how much we need to be doing—that the services Calcutta Kids provides are literally matters of life and death.
 
In our work, we are fighting against gender inequity; we are fighting against the promotion of dangerous and unhealthy pregnancy practices; we are fighting for these families—for mothers like Moumita and for children like her daughters. And now, as a result of the services we provide and the patient but persistent efforts of our trained change agents, we have lots of allies in the community, families and individuals who are determined that Moumita’s story never be repeated.
 
It is your generosity which makes our work possible.  Please continue to be our partners in saving lives, empowering families, and taking joy in seeing Calcutta’s kids grow up to lead healthy and productive lives.
 
With warmest regards and holiday wishes,



Noah Levinson
Director, Calcutta Kids



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