A circle of friends
She is 23 years old and still in campus. Joyce Nassozi found out that there is nothing like a circle of friends to get you through pregnancy; her friends Irene and Faith make pregnancy much easier.
JOYCE’S friends Faith and Irene accompanied her for the interview with Pregnant. Faith was with Joyce in Campus while Irene was with her in high school. Faith works at a hotel in Kampala. When she told her friends about her pregnancy, they were very excited and loved her baby immediately. They always call her up in the morning to remind her to do this or that. She is very happy to have them.
Her friends call her ‘Jojo.’ Irene says that Joyce is still the same Jojo she has always been, even with the pregnancy. Faith says that they both can’t wait to see the baby. Irene is grateful that Jojo is still a good person and friend in her pregnancy as she has remained cool.
Jojo likes people and she handles the pregnancy quite well. She wakes up early, that is at 7 a.m.. and calls them lo see if they have woken up and gone to work. She likes walking around the house and whenever it rains, she goes out, fetches rainwater water and uses it to bathe.
Ugandans believe that very cold water is good for pregnant women. ‘According to our culture it makes the body firm and prevents sickness like colds and fevers,’ says Irene.
The two spend quality time with their pregnant friend. Irene escorts Jojo to the hospital and reminds her of her next antenatal clinic. She also walks around with her for exercise and takes her shopping for maternity clothes while Faith who is usually a bit busy, makes sure to call her to find out if she is okay and tries to get literature on pregnancy for Jojo. Irene is the one who bought Jojo her first copy of Pregnant.
The two are excited and Irene hopes to be the next one on the line to conceive. ‘I hope to get my own in two years’ time,” she says. Faith hopes that Jojo gets a baby girl because she likes dressing in pink while Irene hopes it’s a boy. Irene and Faith approve of their friend’s pregnancy and her boyfriend Ambrose. ‘I’m sure he must be the one calling her right now.’ Faith says as Jojo’s cellphone rings.
Jojo hasn’t checked the sex of the baby, though she says her ‘motherly instincts’ tell her it’s a boy. Her friends always tease her about that. Ambrose also does not want to know the sex of the baby yet. They all want it to be a surprise.
Joyce is juggling her studies, being a wife and being pregnant. She loved it when bumping into three other school mates: One was five months pregnant, another was eight months and a third had given birth two months before, it was a complete surprise,as none of them knew about the other’s condition!
Joyce is a Ugandan and her baby’s father, Ambrose is Kenyan. They live in Uganda. She has since given birth.
END: PG8/19