New Mom, Zara

The Journey of one Family SKT helped

Babita and her first son. Babita is ten months pregnant.

This was Nov 2010. Babita, on the left, delivered her baby in January 2011. 

We first met Zara in November 2010 when our family visited Dr. Sharwan in the Israel Settlement near Vasant Kunj, outside of New Delhi. We spent the afternoon coloring, singing, and playing with the children who visited the Save Kids Trust program. Our visit ended with an informational session on dental hygiene. We finished by passing out toothbrushes and toothpaste to the children.

Zara brought her 2-year-old to the event. We shared many smiles - as that was our common language! She was eight months pregnant at the time, and later we learned that her new baby, a boy, was born in January 2011.

In February, when the new baby was a few weeks old, Zara’s husband was concerned about his wife who was ill and not getting better. He sought out Dr. Sharwan and went with his two-year-old to see him at the Save Kids Trust pre-school. Dr. Sharwan found Zara, nursing her newborn, with a fever, and severe infection, swelling, and pain in her foot. Sharwan immediately took her to the hospital.

Zara’s foot diagnosis was a complication due to pregnancy and immediately there were concerns she would lose her leg below the knee. The hospital staff was able to save Zara’s leg and most of her foot but additional screening showed that Zara had evidence of a serious bacterial illness. After testing the whole family, Zara and both sons came back positive for TB (a common condition in poor communities in India). Zara’s newborn son died a few weeks later.

After being released from the hospital, Save Kids Trust supplied medication for Zara and her son until they were cured of TB, along with basic groceries. Later, Zara’s husband shared that he was awed by how Dr. Sharwan swiftly reacted to his wife’s illness: he immediately picked her up and carried her to his car so they could go to the hospital. Her husband said not even his father would have done that.

Treating people as you would like to be treated - that is what Dr. Sharwan and Save Kids Trust do.

   -written by Donna Shively, SKT Board Member

Four years later: We received an update on Zara and her family. Dr. Sharwan had gone to the local Vasant Kunj DLF mall. Visiting a ‘western style’ mall then meant that there was a security screening of bags and pockets. Dr. Sharwan was greeted by Zara’s husband who had gotten a job as a security guard some months prior! Dr. Sharwan said the surprise meeting included a big hug with tears of joy and thankfulness. It was also proudly shared that Zara was pregnant again.

Zara’s family was restored with the help of donors like you! Please help us restore others and give generously today.