KANZE DENA OPENS UP ABOUT DECISION TO PLACE FIRSTBORN CHILD FOR ADOPTION

Journalist and former State House spokesperson, Kanze Dena has shared the reason why she wanted to put her firstborn child for adoption.

Speaking in an interview, Kanze revealed she got pregnant after finishing high school. “The very first time I found out I was pregnant. I thought I was going to die. I had a very strict mother and here I was pregnant out of wedlock. 

I got pregnant after clearing High School. And those days getting pregnant out of marriage you get stigmatised for it. So as soon as I found out I was pregnant, it got me thinking about so many things. I was signed up for a secretarial and IT college. I ensured that I booked myself into a hostel instead of commuting from home so that I would be able to hide my pregnancy.”

Dena decided to pursue adoption through the assistance of Crisis Pregnancy, “I made up my mind that I wasn’t going to keep the baby. I worked with some organisation called Crisis Pregnancy they used to help teenagers who found themselves pregnant. They would either get you into a safe house where you’d give birth and then they would arrange for an adoption and that was my option.”

Dena found herself in labor and went to Pumwani Hospital, where her planned adoption was disrupted “I found myself in labor and I didn’t know. I took myself to Pumwani Hospital. There was a midwife who I was assigned to help out with the whole process of making sure that I give birth. I walked into the labor room and right in between when I was laboring and the point where I gave birth.

The lady who was supposed to help me give birth was called to attend to something. Someone else helped me and they didn’t have the information that my baby was to be adopted. She gave me my baby. I went into the ward and I started creating a bond but I don’t want this child. I was not prepared. I had not done any shopping. I had already set in my mind. I was going to give away this baby.”

Tragically, Dena’s journey took a heartbreaking turn when she faced the devastating loss of her daughter. “My friend reached out to my aunt and she called my mother who was upcountry. My mother came and saw I was in shock and she hugged me but unfortunately my daughter passed away.”