Mustari arrived at Tala Park Clinic in January clutching her tiny two-month-old son Azan.
Just 17, her health had declined markedly after the arrival of Azan because she was unable to afford the nutritious food she needed to recover from the birth.
Despite her age, Mustari already had another son and her husband earns around 200 rupees a day selling incense sticks door-to-door. Having run away from her own family when she was just 14 because her alcoholic father abused her and her mother, she had no one else to turn to for help.
Fortunately, another woman in her neighbourhood advised her to come to Calcutta Rescue.
Sheila, the head of CR’s Mother And Child Health department said: “The girl is too young to have two children. We immediately started giving her nutritional benefits and medicinal requirements like vitamins, folvite, calcium, iron tablets and vitamin drops for baby Azan.”
After six months of support Mustari and Azan are now both well. Azan, who was born prematurely weighing just 1.3 kg, has gained a healthy weight and now weighs almost 5 kg.
“We are glad that the mother and the baby improved so well,” said Sheila, and Mustari has now received advice on reproductive health and contraception.
Mustari said: “I am so happy I found Calcutta Rescue at the right time. Both me and my baby are now out of all dangers.”
