The pains of losing a child at birth or at a tender age due to circumstances the mother could not control is often pushed under the carpet when Mother’s Day is celebrated each year.

Although mothers who have lost their children might be unwilling to talk about their experiences, society has also partly made it impossible for them to talk about their hurt because they may be seen as the reason behind the unfortunate circumstance.

As part of this year’s Mother’s Day celebrations, the 2014 Vlisco ambassador Eugenia Tachie-Menson in collaboration with Joy FM’s Thought Leadership held the ‘Conversation with Brave Mothers’ to discuss and encourage mothers who lost their child at birth or shortly after.

Eugenia Tachie-Menson

Eugenia Tachie-Menson being a mother also lost her child at birth and experienced social pressures many others face.

 She sought to bring together mothers of her kind to interact and ‘console’ each other for what they have gone through.

She was hopeful that mothers who have lost their children coming together to share their personal stories will help create network and a place of escape when society rejects them.

Dr Annie Gaisie

Clinical Psychologist Dr Annie Gaisie said it was necessary for networks like the ‘Conversation with Brave Women’ to be organised often to support women who have lost their children and were or have been unable to deal with the loss.

She acknowledged that although the loss of a child especially at birth or the inability to bear a child as a woman might be unbearable, women should lift themselves up and move on.

She added that “when we lose a baby it baby it affects us so much because women believe that having a baby makes you complete and are therefore unable to bear the loss of their child, but his should not be the case”.

Dr Gaise noted that there was a lot more to live for as women even if they have lost their children.

Deputy Tourism MInsiter with some participants at the event

She recommended psychological counseling for women who have lost their children and urged husbands or partners of women who have lost their children to be supportive because they contribute a lot to their recovery.

She commended Eugenia Tachie-Menson for the initiative to bring ‘grieving’ mothers together to share their stories and asked for more events of such nature to be organised to support women.

The Conversation with Brave Mothers is the first of a series of conversations to be organised to raise awareness about issues confronting women that have not been addressed by society and the media.

A participant sharing how she dealt with her loss

Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Dzifa Gomashie encouraged women not to bottle up their loss because in the long run, it will destroy them.

She also encouraged the creation of more talk zones that will encourage women to come together and share their problems to strengthen family ties and social networks.

She believes that society, culture and education should be blamed for the inability of women to speak out about their issues, but encouraged women not to succumb to the pressure.

The event was interspersed with poetry from renowned poet Nana Asaase and Poetra Asantewaa