The crushing burden of unplanned families

Raheela, my housekeeper for ten years, appeared visibly fatigued today. At age 26, a mother of three, the weight of her responsibilities was etched on her weary face.

As I sipped my Sunday morning tea, I couldn’t ignore the worry lines on her forehead and the beads of sweat clinging to her skin. Her movements were sluggish, burdened by anxiety. As she dusted, her hand inadvertently brushed against a vase, shattering the moment’s tranquillity. Her eyes, filled with apology and fear, mirrored...