Meet LLLSA Leader Mara Kriel

After a lot of negativity from doctors, our miracle baby girl arrived after 7 years of waiting. She was also the first grandchild and everybody was so excited.

My mom wanted to visit me. She was waiting for a bus in Bloemfontein so she could go to town to buy a plane ticket to be with us in Kempton Park when a lady at the bus stopped and asked her where she was going (My mom never saw that lady before and never again).

That lady told my mom about her own daughter breastfeeding for years and that she attends meetings in Kempton Park and gave my mom Avrille's number. Avrille was a La Leche League Leader.

My baby girl cried a lot and I phoned Avrille every day for support. I attended her LLL meetings from the next month (May 1982) and never missed a meeting for years. LLLSA became our family's lifeline. Eventually, I also trained to become a LLL volunteer group Leader two years later.

We were blessed with 3 more little miracle girls. All 4 my breastfed girls breastfed their babies. I now have 11 grandchildren between 24 and 6 years old (2026).

I have been helping breastfeeding moms since 1984 and continue to love it.