The lead story in Wed-nesday's STAR was not only disturbing but very sad. It reported that a mother had left her seven children with her brother in a one-bedroom house and ran off.

The story further reported that she actually has nine children and, at 36 years old, is pregnant with another. To make matters worse, she continued getting pregnant even after her brother encouraged her to stop after having her third child.

Even more serious is her delay in doing something to reduce her pregnancies. Each time she got pregnant she placed herself at risk of contracting HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases.

This woman is clearly in need of some guidance and help. Her children are dropping out of school because her brother and their older siblings cannot afford to send them to school. Her oldest daughter has no skill and now gets by with help from friends.

As sad as the situation is, it is something that has happened and continues to happen to other women across island. There are women who just do not take control of their lives and make responsible decisions.

Obviously, more needs to be done to empower our women to make better decisions that impact the well-being of the children they have. Children have to get all the things that contribute positively to their growth and development. It is their inalienable right and not a privilege.