In the quiet shadows of the forest edge, a young mother named Lipa struggles with a burden no new mother should ever face alone. She is barely grown herself, still learning the ways of the troop — yet now she carries a newborn baby pressed tightly to her chest with only one strong, trembling arm.
Lipa was abandoned by her family before she gave birth. No older females came to groom her or help her find soft leaves for a nest. No watchful eyes stayed close to protect her from bigger monkeys or prowling dogs near the village path.
Yet when her tiny baby arrived — pink, blind, and squeaking for warmth — Lipa wrapped her only free arm around the tiny body and promised to keep it safe. Now, every step she takes is careful but desperate. She has no safe place to rest. Her other hand clutches at tree trunks and low branches to balance her weight while the baby clings to her chest, too small to hold on properly alone.
Sometimes, she pauses under a tree’s thick roots to catch her breath. Her tired eyes look for food scraps or soft grass. But danger is always near — other monkeys push too close, bigger males chase her away, and hungry dogs bark from the road.
Still, Lipa does not let go. When her baby squeaks in hunger, she shifts the tiny mouth to her belly, letting the baby nurse while she scans the shadows for threats. Each quiet cry reminds her why she keeps moving, even when her legs tremble and her fur is dusty with fear.
Tonight, under a patch of dry leaves she’s found for shelter, Lipa curls her single arm tighter around her newborn. In that fragile hug, she promises again: You will make it. I am here.
