Thandeka is seven years old. Her mental and physical disabilities are the reason why her parents hid her from the neighbors until now. The possible reason for the double disability is the very difficult birth, during which the child suffered from a lack of oxygen. In the end, Thandeka was delivered with a suction cup. The parents were too ashamed to tell the outside world that they had a disabled child. This is often seen as God’s punishment or an evil spirit from the ancestors. The community very often rejects families if they have a disabled child. Sometimes they are even cast out.

Thandeka has been coming regularly to the Community Rehabilitation Center for Children with Disabilities in Phooko (Jorishaus) since it opened in February 2018. And this is not without results:

Thandeka was never properly encouraged at home due to a lack of knowledge and spent her days in bed or half-sitting in a chair. She is stimulated by the care of our occupational therapist and the individual program. She can now walk behind a walking frame. Another frame helps her to play some games standing up and stimulates her muscle strength.

The program staff have also taken measures at Thandeka’s home to give her a more dignified life. For example, they installed a bath. Side rails are now attached to her bed. This means that Thandeka no longer falls out of bed at night and a specially adapted chair enables her mother to feed Thandeka while she is sitting up.

They seem like small things, but they bring dignity back into a small human life. Improving Thandeka’s life also means improving the lives of two other people. Since the family began receiving help from the Ndlovu Care Group’s disability program, the lives of the three have improved dramatically. This help is free of charge for the needy children, but it is very intensive, time-consuming and costly. We ask for your help, as this form of care can only be maintained through private donations.

Donate here now for Christmas, every little amount helps.

Amos Mohlamonyane is 14 years old. A social worker from the Ndlovu Care Group discovered the child in a neglected household. The father had left the family years ago. The mother was left alone with four children. Amos had severe injuries to his body from lying on his back and his strong muscle contractions. He cannot sit up and so he lay flat every day, in his excrement and staring at the ceiling of the dark hut. Alone from sunrise to sunset, when his mother went to look for work on the surrounding farms. He wasted away completely. As he was unable to eat solid food, his mother fed him with baby bottles, but even this made it difficult for him to swallow.

The mother admitted to us that she often wished that God would take this child. Occupational therapist Eric Nkoane, who ran the Ndlovu Care Group’s disability rehabilitation program, took Amos in and looked after him with great patience. Together with a local carpenter, he designed a special chair for Amos to prevent contractions and make them more bearable. Completely new perspectives on life are now opening up: Amos no longer looks at the ceiling all day, he sits in the chair and has become more aware of his surroundings, he responds to his mother and enjoys being at Jorishaus to see other children too. It also enables the mother to find work as she knows Amos is safe and well cared for.

The care and treatment at Jorishaus enables Amos and other children to lead a dignified life. This help is free of charge for the children in need, but it is very intensive, time-consuming and costly. We ask for your help, as this form of care can only be maintained through private donations.

Donate here now for Christmas, every little amount helps.

At the beginning of the week, the Ndlovu Care Group celebrated the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) with the children and young people of Jorishaus.

There was a big party at the Miracle Theater, where the young people gave a dance performance for the public. There were many visitors and everyone celebrated together. There was a sumptuous buffet and the Ndlovu Care Group organized a fun walk where disabled and non-disabled people marched together for more integration.

The Ndlovu Care Group is committed to raising public awareness of people with disabilities and to promoting integration and understanding. And on this day, it certainly succeeded.

Friends in wheelchairs: the special story of Danny and Uncle Joseph