The Maintenance Act makes provision for parents to maintain their young children. A woman who has three children says she is the sole breadwinner for her children because their father has refused to give her any financial support.

"It is really difficult for me to take care of the children because I have to find everything for them," she explained.

"I dont' know what else to do to get their father to assist me even with lunch money for them. He is working and whenever I telephone him or send the children to his workplace, he tells them that he does not have any money.

"We used to live together but I had to leave him because he is a very quick-tempered man and wanted to fight me for foolishness. I feel much better in my mind since I left him two years ago, but all I want now is some financial support from him for the children.

"Although his relatives encourage him to support his children he tells them that he has nothing to do with us and we must try and get along without him.

"People in the community tell me that I should take him to court for maintenance but I am not too keen in having my private affairs brought out in court."

Take him to court

If the children's father refuses to support the children then the only course open to you is to take him to court. The matters are held in private on court so you have no reason to fear that members of the public will be present to hear your case.

Section one of the Maintenance Act states clearly that "Every man is hereby required to maintain his own children." The section also places additional responsibility on the man to maintain the children of any child he has, so long as such children are unable by reason of tender years or bodily or mental infirmity to maintain themselves.