Martha, a 39-year-old woman from Medellín, Colombia, is pregnant with her twentieth child and has revealed that she doesn’t plan to stop having children anytime soon. She wants to keep having kids until her body can no longer conceive.
Seventeen of her 19 children are still under 18, and Martha receives government assistance for each of them. She has conceived all her children with different men, and she describes motherhood as almost like a business. Despite the financial support, she says it is not enough to cover the full costs of raising them.
“I see being a mom like a business, practically,” Martha explained, admitting that although the government provides some financial help, it barely meets the needs of her large family. She receives about $76 for her older children and $30.50 for the younger ones. In total, the government pays her about $510 a month to care for her children.
On top of this, Martha also receives support from her local church and neighbors. Despite all the help, life with so many children can be tough. In her small three-bedroom house, the eldest child has to sleep on the sofa because there isn’t enough space for everyone. Martha admits that sometimes it’s hard to provide enough food for everyone on the limited budget.
However, Martha remains determined to keep having children, even though the situation is difficult. She says her children will leave home when they grow up, and she will continue to have more kids as long as her body allows it. For her, having children is not just about family; it’s also profitable.
While Martha’s life is full of challenges, her plan for the future is clear—she will continue having children, with or without the full support she needs.
