A Colombian mom who recently had her 20th child claims she’s turned motherhood into a “profitable” business.
The mom, who relies on the goodwill of her community and government assistance, says she’ll continue adding to her tribe until her “body doesn’t allow it.”
A day in Martha’s home is anything but quiet. The 40-year-old woman has 20 children squeezed into shared rooms – the eldest on the couch – of her three-bedroom home in Medellín, Colombia.
According to reports, the monthly cost of living for a family of four is roughly $2,200 US, and with such a large family, Martha needs about $11,000 – not including her expenses – to care for her family, every month.
Speaking with the Sun, the woman revealed that it’s “challenging,” and that she sometimes “struggles to provide adequate meals for everyone on a limited budget.”
Despite her financial difficulties, the resourceful mother explains she’s still inspired by the financial assistance she receives from the government to continue growing her family.
“The truth is, as the government helps me for each child, I receive a little money for each one,” she told the Daily Mail in January 2024, when she was still pregnant with her 20th baby.
According to the mom, who has 17 children under 18, the older kids fetch about $76 each, while the younger ones bank approximately $30.50.
In total, the state affords her less than $600 US every month.
“I see being a mom like a business, practically,” said Martha, adding that as the older children leave the home, she has to add to her brood for more financial government support.
In addition, the woman gets assistance from the local church and her neighbors, as the 20 different fathers of her children are absent, and “irresponsible,” she says.
Martha, who confessed she does not know who fathered her youngest child, said she’ll continue having “kids until my body doesn’t allow it.”
‘Kids didn’t ask to be born’
This unconventional approach to motherhood sparked discussions about the sustainability and ethics of viewing childbearing as a business model, especially considering the reliance on government support and the well-being of the children involved.
Online users jumped into the comments section of the story, unanimously criticizing the mom for using kids to make money.
“The poor children, stuffed into a three-bedroom house with not enough food or clothes. They will never get loving, individual attention. Too bad they can’t be taken away from their ignoramus mother and put into good homes,” writes one netizen.
A second user shares of the mom: “She’s depriving her children of many necessities, including a bed of their own. I pity them because those kids didn’t ask to be born.”
Another suggests the government needs to scale back its support to prevent people like Martha from using the system.
“The Governments that give more welfare for more children are fiscally and socially inept, immoral, stupid, and bankrupt. This type of misuse of funds should not be incentivized, but rather disincentivized,” the cyber user writes.
Whether you see her as a symbol of determination or an example of poor choices, one thing is certain – her story challenges societal norms and raises questions about the balance between personal choice, responsibility, and societal support.
What are your thoughts on Martha? Please let us know what you think and then share this story with others so we can get the conversation started!
