Sadia’s Story

When I first came to Columbia Pregnancy Center, I was in a really bad situation, and struggling with my daughter’s father. He wanted me to have an abortion. I didn’t know who to turn to. At that time, I didn’t really have a lot of friends or family to talk with about it and it was my first time (facing this decision). It was a really bad time, and it still sucks to think about it.

I found the Pregnancy Center online and they told me to just go ahead come on in, even though I didn’t have an appointment. The Center was really welcoming, and they let me know all the programs they had that were helpful for me. I noticed that when I first came to the Center there were other women that were just like me, and I didn’t feel like I was alone in the situation making a decision like that. It was really tough because I didn’t know whether or not I should get an abortion or keep the baby.

The Center helped me see my life in a different light. After I had my daughter, the center showed me even greater support than when I first came to them. I didn’t feel alone anymore. I felt like I had somewhere to go to get support with my situation. The Pregnancy Center has also helped me with finding shelter, and figure out any type of problem that would affect my situation with my children. They have helped me a lot, and to this day they still help me and my children. I feel confident and welcomed when I am there.  They have a material assistance program that helped when I didn’t have a lot of money at the time for clothes for my daughter.

Since I had my daughter, I feel so happy that I came to the Pregnancy Center, because if I didn’t, I probably would be in another situation from what I am now. I feel like the Pregnancy Center gave me other directions and other programs that could help me, different connections. And they’re still teaching me, how to become a better parent over time, how to develop, through those videos you do for points [to shop in the boutique], they teach you how to be a better parent … teach you different lessons in child development as well. So I feel like the Pregnancy Center has really helped me, and helped me feel hopeful with life in general and I’m just looking forward to more stuff later in life. The Pregnancy Center was a part of that, and you, Ms Fran, you’ve been really helpful, you really have, in my situations. And there’s not too many people that are like you, but I’m happy that you’re here at the Pregnancy Center, because I think if not – I don’t know where I would be. I really don’t know where I would be. I feel like if I didn’t come to the Pregnancy Center I probably would have made the mistake  – I would have made a mistake and gotten an abortion, or probably be in a worse situation, with my child’s father, or with the people I thought were good friends and family, I’d probably be in a worse situation with them.

I feel like it (the CPC) can still grow, they’ve just got to reach out to more people, more women. And I’ve also told other women about the Pregnancy Center that have had the same issues with family or feeling alone while they’re pregnant, feeling distressed. I don’t know if they’ve been to the Pregnancy Center, but I do know the Pregnancy Center would do a lot with helping them as well.